Driving a truck requires much more training and skill than driving a motor vehicle. Even basic driving skills such as braking, changing lanes, and turning pose special hazards to the motorists that the trucker shares the road with when not executed properly. If a truck driver fails to make a wide turn properly, you or your family could be the victim of a wide turn truck accident and suffer serious injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, amputation, paralysis, internal organ damage, or death.
Why Do Truck Drivers Cause Wide Turn Truck Accidents?
Unfortunately, many trucking companies hire inexperienced truck drivers who do not have the skills to safely drive an 80,000-pound truck. Navigating a turn can be challenging even for a skilled truck driver. When they are not done properly, a truck can dangerously cross over into other lanes of traffic or cause an underride or override wreck where a much smaller vehicle gets trapped under the truck if he swings out too wide when making a turn. Here are some of the common reasons for these tragic and preventable collisions:
- Blind spots. Trucks have large blind spots on the sides, in front, and in the rear. When a trucker fails to check his blind spots before turning, he can crash right into an unsuspecting driver.
- Turn signals. Using a turn signal is critical for truck drivers to warn other motorists that they will be turning and to stay clear. Many catastrophic accidents are caused by truck drivers who fail to use their turn signals.
- Distracted driving. Making any turn is challenging and requires a truck driver’s complete attention. When a trucker is texting, talking on his cell phone, or looking at a GPS, he can easily make too wide of a turn and cause a deadly head-on collision or collide with a driver in his side blind spot.
- Intoxication. When a truck driver is intoxicated, his judgment, ability to judge distances, and vision are all impaired. This can increase the likelihood that he will make a driving error that causes injuries in a wide-turn crash.
- Drowsy driving. If a truck driver is fatigued, his driving abilities are impaired in similar ways as if he were drunk, with a wide-turn accident being the possible consequence. In many cases, a drowsy driver may also have violated the hours of service regulations governing the number of hours that he could drive without taking a break.
If you were the victim of a wide turn truck accident, our experienced truck accident attorneys can help you hold the negligent trucker and trucking company responsible for compensating you for your injuries. To learn more, call our office today to schedule your free initial consultation.
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