A 1998 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) report on collisions between large trucks and other motor vehicles found that a majority of all fatal motor vehicle accidents occurred between a car and a truck. In these types of accidents, the car's occupants were much more likely to be the ones seriously injured or killed. It was also found that the car drivers were at fault in most of the accidents.
Large trucks and passenger cars need to be able to co-exist on the roads and highways across the country. This often presents unique challenges and requires safe driving behavior by the operators of both types of vehicles. Reckless driving is always dangerous and can lead to an accident. However, a collision with a large truck, such as a tractor-trailer, has an even greater potential to result in serious injury or death.
Large trucks often travel at a slower pace, and the truck driver has more limited visibility. Impatient and overly aggressive driving that otherwise may pass without incident can cause serious accidents when a truck is involved. Further, the occupants of the car are more likely to suffer serious injury or death, as they are more vulnerable in their smaller vehicles.
Common dangerous actions that may result in a serious accident include the following:
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Speeding
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Changing lanes and cutting off a truck
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Following a truck too closely
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Failure to obey a stop sign or traffic signal
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Slowing down abruptly on a highway
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Turning without enough headway before oncoming traffic
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Failure to use extra caution in bad weather situations
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident involving a truck, you should contact one of our experienced motor vehicle accident attorneys.
