Drivers might worry about what a commercial truck driver will do because a smaller car could suffer significant damage after a collision with a tractor-trailer. Avoiding oversized trucks won’t be an option for anyone driving in Virginia, as semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles travel the roads seven days a week. Perhaps it would be a good idea for nervous drivers to figure out a proper way to share the road with trucks.
Staying safe when near a large truck
When a truck driver makes a mistake and causes a multicar pileup, expect the incident to make the news. Such reports imbed images of irresponsible truck drivers in many people’s minds. Such visuals might not be fair, though. Data shows that about 75% of all truck-smaller vehicle accidents result from the fault of a passenger car’s driver.
Anyone driving a car may find it wise to avoid behaviors that could lead to a crash with a tractor-trailer. Avoiding certain behaviors should be common sense, such as not cutting off a large truck when passing, but drivers make ill-advised decisions and get into trouble.
Even a careful driver could find themselves in danger by remaining in a truck’s blind spot. Tractor-trailers might have more significant blind spots than a normal vehicles, and drivers may need to stay out of those spots to avoid a collision.
Negligence and car/truck crashes
Drivers could make unwise decisions like following a truck too closely. If the tractor-trailer stops, traveling too close may lead to an accident. Truck accidents might be far worse if a tractor-trailer tailgates a smaller car, as the truck could ride over and crush a smaller vehicle.
When negligence leads to an accident, a personal injury lawsuit may result.