Fatal tractor-trailer accidents are rising every year. As we enter the New Year, companies, large and small, are making changes and moving people across the United States. Data suggests that for-hire carriers, or smaller carriers, are involved in a significantly higher number of fatal accidents than the private trucking companies. As the demand for deliveries increases, so does the number of “smaller” or for-hire tractor-trailer drivers. Further, drivers are stressed with multiple deliveries and delivering those loads on time. This demand leads to an increase in these fatal accidents.
Tractor-trailers need a much larger distance to stop, especially if that tractor-trailer is fully loaded.
As you operate your vehicle on the highways, be cautious of these very real dangers. There are several things you can do to help prevent these types of accidents from ever happening. Specifically, keep a safe distance from the tractor-trailer. Tractor-trailers have large blind spots and you must heed the advice labeled on many trucks: “If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you.” Tractor-trailers are much larger and their drivers are seated up much higher than the average vehicle. They cannot see you if you cannot see their mirrors. Avoid speeding up to get in front of the tractor-trailer. Tractor-trailers need a much larger distance to stop, especially if that tractor-trailer is fully loaded. Give yourself and the tractor-trailer driver sufficient room to stop. Use your turn signals and check your mirrors when changing lanes. Turn signals alert other drivers of the move you intend to make. Lastly, don’t text and or talk on your cellphone when driving. There is so much going on when we are driving that it requires our absolute undivided attention. We need to be aware of our surroundings as we are driving, especially as we are driving near or around tractor-trailers. As always, buckle up because seat belts save lives, obey the speed limits and arrive to your destination safely.
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— D. Graham Anderson is an experienced personal injury attorney with Bogin, Munns, & Munns, a full service law firm with offices in Orlando, Clermont, Kissimmee, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Melbourne, Gainesville, and Leesburg, Florida. Mr. Anderson works out of the Clermont office of the firm and welcomes questions and comments regarding the above and can be reached at ganderson@boginmunns.com.
NOTICE: The article above is not intended to serve as legal advice, and you should not rely on it as such. It is offered only as general information. You should consult with a duly licensed attorney regarding your Florida legal matter, as every situation is unique. Please know that merely reading this article, subscribing to this blog, or otherwise contacting Bogin, Munns & Munns does not establish an attorney-client relationship with our firm. Should you seek legal representation from Bogin, Munns & Munns, any such representation must first be agreed to by the firm and confirmed in a written agreement.
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