Accidents with trucks happen less often than with cars. But the consequences of such accidents are much more serious. In such accidents, the truck driver is not always solely to blame. In most cases, the accident is caused by the drivers of passenger vehicles, not knowing the characteristics of the behavior of the truck on the road.
Therefore, we decided to talk about how to behave to minimize the probability of collision with trucks and why it is important to contact truck accident lawyers in the event of an accident with a truck.
You need to look as far as possible, constantly keeping your eyes on the lane along which you are moving. In the case of a negative development of the situation, you need to constantly look for a way out in your head in the minimum time to prevent a collision. No driver dreams of getting into an accident. All drivers are optimistic: they think about the secondary benefits of the maneuver, not about seemingly distant and implicit threats.
And also: it is very rare that traffic accidents happen due to the fault of only one of the participants. In reality, a road accident usually involves at least two people, each of whom violated traffic rules. A person whose violation of traffic rules directly caused an accident, collision, or rollover is usually considered to be at fault.
However, even the slightest mistake of another road user will certainly help him to achieve such a result. Whoever may not have broken the rules, simply neglected the principles of safe driving: once again did not look in the right direction, drove a little faster than necessary, turned a second earlier or a second later, maneuvered or braked, he is also partly to blame for the accident. Yes, officially he is not guilty, but it will not make it easier for anyone.
Five important rules on how to reduce the likelihood of damage due to a road accident
Some actions can reduce the number of injuries and deaths from preventable causes – reducing harm from driving. Traveling by car is convenient and practical. But driving is also a very dangerous activity. Therefore, it is very important to follow certain rules to avoid accidents or reduce damages caused by accidents. These are key things that help you reduce the damage from a car accident. A large number of people die in road accidents every year.
A large number of road accidents occur due to speeding, due to incorrect crossing of the road by pedestrians, due to careless pedestrians, due to alcohol intoxication of drivers. A car is the most dangerous form of transport.
In particular, driving a car is much more dangerous than flying. Every year, 1.2 million people die in traffic accidents in the world. This is about 1,000 times more than the number of people who die in plane crashes. But all these scary numbers do not mean that you need to give up the use of the car. There are many different important actions you can take to reduce preventable injuries and deaths.
Rule 1. Carefully follow the traffic rules
Speeding and overtaking are among the most common causes of road accidents. This is partly due to such a mass phenomenon of rejection of the need to understand the nuances of traffic laws.
Experts also point to low fines and police negligence as reasons why motorists break traffic rules. Even experienced and responsible drivers sometimes, after several years of driving, get used to neglecting these important rules. The best way to reduce the number of traffic accidents is to follow the rules of the road.
Rule 2. Control the use of alcohol and drugs
More than 20% of road accidents occur due to drunken driving. Studies have shown that the slightest intoxication (beer, glass of wine) can reduce vigilance and increase the probability of an accident on the road by 20-30%. Also, carefully read the instructions for medical preparations.
In some cases, even the most harmless medicines for colds, allergies, or headaches suppress reactions, the instructions clearly state that it is contraindicated for motorists.
Rule 3. Avoid driving distractions
Negligence can destroy even the most careful driver who knows the rules of the road, monitors the condition of the car and the road situation, and does not drink alcohol or drugs while driving. You can lose concentration on the road from completely different key factors.
To avoid this risk, plan your schedule so that you can rest during long trips. It is also worth teaching children to be as quiet as possible in the car so as not to distract the driver’s attention from the road situation. An effective way to reduce the risk of distracted driving is to use a Bluetooth headset for calls while driving.
In addition, many modern cars can connect smartphones to the car’s multimedia system via Bluetooth. It allows you to control the telephone connection using the buttons on the steering wheel, uses voice dialing from the phone book, and can dial the desired numbers. Together, all this minimizes any risk of driver distraction from what is happening on the road.
Rule 4. Strict compliance with road safety measures
Sometimes compliance with the rules and all safety measures is not enough to survive an accident. Even the most accurate driver can make a mistake due to the inattention of another driver. Seat belt use reduces the number of fatalities by an average of 40-50% for front passengers and 50-70% for rear passengers. The spread of child seats also revolutionized harm reduction. With their help, the risk of a child getting into an accident can be reduced by 80%.
Rule 5. Carefully check the current condition of your car
Vehicle inspections are a common occurrence around the world. Regular inspection of the technical condition of the car allows you to pre-check and timely eliminate important signs of malfunctions that are invisible while the car is in motion. Technical breakdowns (brakes, steering wheel, etc.) are the cause of more than 10% of traffic accidents that occur every year.
Tips for drivers of passenger vehicles
A fully loaded truck needs to accelerate before going uphill. For a truck with a large number of tons of cargo, the process of shifting gears when climbing can lead to a complete loss of speed, and it is very difficult to move from one place. The truck driver must accelerate to the appropriate speed to climb the hill without shifting gears. It is not difficult for the driver to accelerate a little, but there must be free space in front of him.
If you see one truck overtaking another on the road ahead of you, do not intervene and keep an eye on the overtaking truck. Let them complete the maneuver, it will be safe for you and other road users. When a truck passes you, the so-called aerodynamic drag phenomenon occurs.
At first, the airflow pushes the car to the right, then it can start to pull the car to the left. In such cases, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and prevent any maneuvering of the vehicle, as this can lead to an uncontrolled skid that can end in an accident (especially in the cold season on a track with heavy traffic). The process of overtaking a truck.
When preparing to overtake, do not approach the truck you are overtaking. Otherwise, you will have to spend more time overtaking. Judge for yourself, you caught up with a slow-moving truck and began to follow it. Your speed has changed to the speed of the truck in front of you. You looked at the mirrors and decided to overtake them.
Turn on the turn signals and start overtaking the truck, first making sure that you are not obstructing anyone and that overtaking is completely safe. It takes 10-15 seconds, sometimes more, to accelerate to the speed necessary to overtake a truck, overtake a truck, and change from the oncoming lane to your lane. Such time delays during dangerous maneuvers can have critical consequences.
Drivers with many years of experience overtake trucks in 4-5 seconds. To do this, you need to re-assess the situation on the road approximately 100-150 meters in front of the vehicle that needs to be overtaken. Night traffic should be as careful as possible. It is necessary to take into account that the truck you decided to overtake may have cars in front of it, which cannot be seen because the traffic is carried out at night.
When a truck signals a turn in city traffic, it is best not to ignore it, slow down and wait for the truck driver to complete the maneuver. You have to understand what a truck is and how hard it is to break when a car is blocking it.
The driver’s reaction plays an important role. Usually, the driver needs 1-2 seconds to correctly assess the situation on the road and, if necessary, stop the car. During this time, a truck with a long braking distance may not have time to brake in time before it collides with a possible obstacle, so it is extremely important to analyze and calculate all options in advance.
California criminal lawyers provide qualified legal assistance in case of any road accident involving both trucks and cars. Sharp maneuvers on the track are very dangerous. A truck can skid, so truck drivers brake sharply only in critical situations.
Adherence to traffic rules to prevent an emergency with trucks
Most of the traffic accidents that occur regularly in California are avoidable, despite their frequency and, of course, the disappointing statistics. In the vast majority of cases, you don’t need superpowers to prevent an accident. It is enough to follow traffic rules and simple recommendations:
Before driving, check the operation of all car systems: turn signals, brake lights, and rear lights. Do not forget to monitor the condition of the tires and periodically inspect the car for any defects.
Do not be distracted while driving by phone calls, movies, and other external stimuli. Do not drive when you are sleepy or tired. Do not eat or drink while driving. Always fasten your seat belt and do not drive for long periods without taking a rest break. Simple things like this can save your life.
Drive calmly, and carefully, making sure that you do not create obstacles for anyone on the road. Do not forget about the presence of blind spots, during which other cars cannot be seen in the rearview mirrors or side mirrors. Also, pay attention to the situation in the parking lot, because a pedestrian can always get out of a nearby car and immediately find himself next to your truck, you may not notice him.
Do not forget about the turn signals if you want to move to another lane during traffic. First turn on the turn, then wait a few seconds – and only then begin to change to another lane. Familiarize yourself in advance with non-verbal communication signals on the road using headlights and a sound signal – this greatly simplifies interaction with other road users.
Follow the road as carefully as possible, even with a lot of driving experience. This especially applies to truck drivers with a long driving experience, because this often creates the illusion of protection from any troubles on the road. Drivers with many years of experience also get into multiple accidents just as often as novice drivers.
Don’t just pay attention to the traffic lights when crossing the intersection. Look around, even if you are starting traffic at a green light. The driver must always analyze the current situation on the road and be as attentive as possible, especially for truck drivers.
Always keep your distance, because even if you hit the brake, the car will stop in seconds, and the stopping distance of a truck is much longer than that of a car. Seconds and centimeters are sometimes critical. So if the distance between you and another car is very close, this will almost certainly result in emergency braking and a possible collision.
Do not provoke other drivers with your aggressive behavior on the road. Do not abuse beeps unnecessarily. Track overall speed in heavy traffic. If they want to overtake you, it is better to let the drivers pass, because you can always take responsibility for your behavior on the road. Be especially attentive when a car with special signals appears on the road – a fire engine, police car, or emergency medical aid car. These cars should always be passed on the road.
Three key components that determine risk in traffic
The secret to defensive driving is to drive in such a way that in an emergency there is always enough time to make the right decisions and apply the right scenario to prevent any collision. The probability of an accident depends on 4 key factors: the driver (ability, skills, driving style), the vehicle (technical capabilities and condition), the road (characteristics of the road surface, infrastructure, and traffic organization), and the environment (current weather conditions and the environment of the road due to the action on its environment).
Any one of these four important components can cause an accident, but only the correct actions of the driver can minimize the impact of the other three factors.
Analysis of the causes and course of traffic accidents convincingly proves that only 5-10% of them are unavoidable. The principle of defensive driving is to make as few mistakes as possible, while being ready to correct the mistakes of other drivers, to drive with a reserve for the driving mistakes of other drivers, with readiness for any road situations that may arise.
Remember: sharp braking, and emergency maneuvering, these things can lead to an uncontrolled skidding of the car, which can cause an accident that will be your fault. Crash survivors often complain that they missed something—an extra second to maneuver or an extra meter to an obstacle, which ultimately equals the same lack of braking time.
In simple and complex situations, the algorithm of human actions is different. In the first case, he assesses the situation and acts instantly (everything takes about half a second), in the second case, he needs more time to make a decision (which is not known whether it will be correct).
The correct choice of decision while driving, and constant monitoring of changing road conditions allow you to create the necessary important reserves of time. Time reserve allows you to come to a complete stop within sight of the road at any time.
At the same time, it is necessary to drive at an appropriate speed, taking into account the quality of the road surface (for example, on a wet road, the braking distance increases twice, on a snowy road – four times, on an icy road – nine times). It is worth taking into account your emotional and psychological state while driving (if you are sick, irritable, or tired, you should reduce your speed).
Proper clearance management is primarily about allowing enough space to get behind the vehicle in front of you, if possible, without using emergency braking. In addition, the rear of the vehicle in front should not limit the view of the road and the situation on it at the current moment in time.
