Big Trucks And Big Threats: A Closer Look At The Real Dangers Of Sharing The Road

You may spend the majority of your life fearing things that may never happen, but if you are a regular driver, there are some threats that you do have to face every time that you climb behind the wheel of your vehicle. With at least 500,000 trucking accidents occurring every year in the United States alone, it is easy to see why semi trucks are considered a real threat to you as a driver.

The best way to keep yourself safe from real threats that you face in your life period is to arm yourself with knowledge, and this idea is no different when it comes to semi truck accidents. There are a few facts that you should know to help you stay safe in spite of sharing the roadways with these massively sized vehicles.

1. Truck drivers are notorious for using drugs and alcohol on the job.

Even though there are many good, hard-working and alert truck drivers who do their part to stay safe on the highway, there are also many who use drugs and alcohol when behind the wheel. This is a serious issue in the trucking industry and there have been some studies that have concluded that as many as half of truck drivers admit to using alcohol behind the wheel. Plus about 30 percent have used amphetamines to stay awake. Therefore, it is always a good idea to stay alert to erratic driving behavior from a truck driver. Never hesitate to report strange behavior because there could be drugs or alcohol involved.

2. Truck drivers cannot see every car around them.

When you are traveling alongside a big semi on the roadway, it is crucial that you know that truck drivers have a difficult time seeing smaller vehicles around their truck in certain spots. Drivers often wrongly believe that a trucker's blind spot is only in one area, when in fact, there are several areas around a semi where a truck driver will not see you. A few of these places include:

  • directly behind the semi truck trailer
  • to the left and slightly behind the cab of the semi truck
  • to the right of the semi truck, slightly ahead of the cab

You may have to willingly share the roads you travel with large trucks and semis, but you should always stay alert as a driver to the dangers that this can bring about. If you have been injured in an accident involving a semi truck or large vehicle and you believe the driver was at fault, be sure to talk to a tractor trailer accident lawyer for advice.


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