Whether you are sharing the highway with a truck near you or you are traveling along back roads, you should take care to notice how distractions impact truckers.
Reckless truck driving can cause an accident no matter how busy the road is. Learning about common kinds of distractions is one way to stay alert if you drive a smaller vehicle.
Moving people or bright signs
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, anything that takes a person’s eyes off the cars around them for more than a second or two can lead to a crash. This includes billboards or advertisements on the side of the road, as well as people standing near the road.
A trucker may turn their head in order to look at these distractions. Since trucks take longer to stop when the driver hits the brake, every second counts when a pedestrian or an object is in the way and they have to come to a stop.
Speeding
It can be hard enough to handle a truck when it is going at a normal speed, but a truck traveling above the speed limit can greatly increase the likelihood of an accident when distractions happen. Whether drivers are looking down at their phones or outside their windows, they may gain speed before realizing how fast they are going.
Trucks that accidentally run into cars or motorcycles can leave the other drivers in serious pain and trauma. Breaking the speed limit adds to this danger, since it reduces the trucker’s reaction time.
Legal options
Being aware of common distractions that often lead to accidents can help you to drive more defensively and increase your chances of avoiding a collision. However, if a negligent driver makes an accident unavoidable, it’s worth talking with an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your legal recourse. You may be able to obtain compensation for damages such as vehicle repair or replacement, medical bills, lost wages, emotional damages and more.
