It doesn’t matter where you’re traveling in the state of Colorado, you can expect to spend a good amount of time sharing the road with commercial trucks.
Even though you do your best to remain safe, it doesn’t necessarily mean every other driver is taking the same precautions. For example, truckers are known for breaking the law — often due to tight scheduling deadlines — and taking risks on the road.
Here are some of the top causes of car-truck accidents:
- Drowsy driving: There are federal laws in place to protect against this, but some truckers ignore them. Furthermore, even if a trucker takes the required breaks, it doesn’t mean they’ll be 100% alert at all times.
- Distracted driving: From texting to eating and drinking, truckers can get distracted.
- Driving under the influence: Drugs, prescription medication and alcohol all impact a trucker’s judgment.
- Reckless driving: The most common form of reckless driving is excessive speeding, but this also pertains to behavior such as illegal passing and neglecting to use turn signals.
- Inadequate training: With this, the trucking company is just as much to blame as the driver. Proper training regarding safety concerns, technique and defensive driving can help a trucker prevent an accident.
If you want to keep yourself safe, here are some tips you can personally follow when driving in close proximity to commercial vehicles:
- Don’t drive in a trucker’s blind spot.
- Leave enough space when changing lanes in front of a truck.
- Always use your turn signals.
- Always pass in the left lane, never in the right.
- Take special care when yielding onto the highway in front of a truck.
- Don’t drive between two commercial trucks.
Even if you’re a safe driver who follows these tips, among others, you could still suffer an injury in a car-truck accident. If this happens, call 911 to explain the situation and request immediate help.
Once you receive medical treatment at a local hospital, you’ll better understand your prognosis and the steps you can take on the road to recovery.
As soon as possible, review your insurance policy, file a claim and take steps to protect your legal rights. Doing these things should help you obtain compensation for your injuries, damage to your vehicle and other considerations.
Visit our website for additional guidance on what to do after a motor vehicle accident.