| Because of the massive size and weight of | | | | be aware of trucks around you and allow them |
| trucks, trucking accidents can be catastrophic, | | | | enough room to make those wide turns. A truck |
| resulting in serious injuries and death. The size and | | | | will often swing to the left before making a right |
| structure of trucks and how they are driven is | | | | hand turn; this opens up space to the truck's |
| very different from passenger vehicles; for this | | | | immediate right. If a car pulls into that space, the |
| reason, drivers of passenger vehicles may be able | | | | car can be hit or even crushed without ever being |
| to help avoid collisions by better understanding | | | | seen by the truck driver. |
| how many trucking accidents occur. | | | | Stopping Distance |
| Equipment failure | | | | The stopping distance that is required for trucks |
| Equipment failure regarding brakes, turn signals, | | | | is much greater than the stopping distance |
| steering components, and tires are just some of | | | | required for passenger vehicles, and trucks that |
| the parts of trucks that can fail and cause | | | | follow vehicles too closely are an accident waiting |
| devastating accidents. Trucking laws require | | | | to happen. Following too closely obviously does |
| regular inspection, but laws and regulations are not | | | | not allow a driver enough time to stop in the |
| always complied with. Truck drivers do not | | | | event the vehicle in front of you brakes suddenly. |
| always properly maintain their trucks, and that | | | | Not having enough stopping distance between the |
| can lead to serious accidents. Even in properly | | | | truck and the vehicle in front of the truck can |
| maintained vehicles, equipment may fail due to | | | | trigger a jackknife and cause a serious accident. |
| shoddy work by manufacturers or repair shops. | | | | Be sure to allow ample distance between your |
| Jackknifing | | | | vehicle and the front of the truck you are |
| Jackknifing occurs when a truck folds as the | | | | passing. Many truck drivers will flash their |
| trailer tries to pass the cab. Jackknifing means the | | | | headlights to let you know that it is safe to return |
| accidental folding of an articulated vehicle (one | | | | back to your lane after passing. |
| towing a trailer) such that it resembles the angle | | | | Blind spots |
| of a folding pocket knife (hence the name). | | | | Blind spots in trucks are much larger than in |
| Jackknifing usually happens to an empty vehicle | | | | passenger vehicles. We have all probably seen |
| and does not really happen that often. Sudden | | | | those signs on trucks that say, "If you can't see |
| braking or turning, brake malfunction, wet or | | | | my mirrors, I can't see you" Trucks have large |
| otherwise slippery roads, and uneven road | | | | blind spots that prevent them from seeing nearby |
| surfaces can all cause a truck to jackknife. | | | | vehicles. A truck that is changing lanes can easily |
| Jackknifing can be the cause of a serious truck | | | | collide with a vehicle in its blind spot. Experienced |
| accident or it can happen after something has | | | | truck drivers know how to avoid these collisions, |
| collided with the truck. Most experienced truck | | | | but not all truckers on the road are experienced. |
| drivers know how to correct a skid before it | | | | Being aware of the dangers truck drivers face |
| becomes a jackknife. | | | | every day they go to work and being aware of |
| Turning accidents | | | | how to share the road with trucks will certainly |
| Turning accidents often occur because trucks are | | | | help you avoid the catastrophic type of accident |
| so long, and they often have to make very wide | | | | that often occurs when trucks and passenger |
| turns. Sometimes these turns require the trucks | | | | vehicles collide. |
| to take up more than one lane of traffic. Always | | | | |