The majority of commercial truck drivers are familiar with what they should and shouldn’t do when they’re behind the wheel. However, this doesn’t mean they’ll never make a mistake that causes an accident.
There are many causes of car-truck accidents, including the following:
- Inadequate training: If a trucking company doesn’t properly train a driver, they’re more likely to cause an accident. Training should focus on things such as defensive driving and driving technique.
- Unrealistic schedule: Trucking companies often get into the habit of setting deadlines they can’t meet. This forces truckers to exceed the speed limit, while also spending too many consecutive hours behind the wheel without rest.
- Drunk driving: Alcohol, prescription medication and illegal drugs all have the potential to alter a trucker’s ability to make sound decisions.
- Distracted driving: After spending so many hours on the road, it’s natural for boredom to set in. This can result in a trucker turning their attention to texting, talking on the phone, eating or drinking.
- Reckless driving: This takes on many forms, with excessive speeding at the top of the list. Other examples include illegal passing and failure to use turn signals.
There are many ways to protect yourself against trouble on the road, with these tips among the most important to follow:
- Never drive in a trucker’s blind spot
- Leave enough space when changing lanes in front of a truck
- Never pass a truck in the right lane
- Take extra caution when yielding onto the highway in close proximity to a truck
- Don’t position yourself to the right of a truck when it’s setting up a right turn
By following these tips, you lessen the risk of being part of a car-truck accident.
Unfortunately, people are injured in truck accidents all the time. If this happens to you, call 911 to request medical assistance. While you wait on an ambulance to arrive, examine yourself for injuries and administer first aid.
Upon arriving at a local hospital, you’ll undergo additional treatment and testing to stabilize your condition and put you on the path to making a full recovery.
If you’re injured in a car-truck accident, learn more about your legal rights in Colorado for obtaining compensation from the negligent party.