Interstates and large roadways serve a great purpose — but those often-crowded routes also bring impatient, angry drivers and high-stress conditions. To help you avoid ever needing a truck accident lawyer, here are the factors that most often play into a semitruck crash.
Slow Stopping Distance
Because of their sheer size and weight, trucks — especially semis — have a very hard time stopping quickly compared to personal vehicles. Keep that in mind when you share the road, and watch for hazards or traffic patterns that could force a truck to stop short.
Roughly speaking, at 55 mph in good conditions (dry, clear visibility, good brakes), a heavy vehicle can take about 6 seconds — or 512 feet — to come to a complete stop. That includes the perception-and-reaction lag before the driver even hits the brakes. So give a semi plenty of space before moving into its lane, and try to stay out of the lane directly in front of or behind it when you can.
Recognizing Fatigue
Semi drivers often work long hours hauling loads state to state, and fatigue is a major problem. Federal Hours-of-Service rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) cap driving at 11 hours — roughly 650 miles a day — with other stipulations meant to prevent drowsy driving. Unfortunately, some companies push drivers well past that, and even a 2–3 hour difference can change the risk of a crash. Watch for warning signs of a fatigued driver:
- Swerving between lanes or off the road
- Gradual drifting from side to side (not necessarily sudden)
- Traveling notably slower or faster than the speed limit
- Signs of impatience
Spotting these early lets you navigate away and put safe distance between your car and whatever might happen down the road.
Stop Road Rage Before It Starts
We've all had someone cut us off and send our adrenaline skyrocketing. In those moments a quick, anger-driven reaction can lead to a fatal crash. Some drivers get especially riled up around semis because they're slow and jam up narrow highways — but the dashcam-famous move of cutting off a semi and tapping your brakes to irritate the trucker (or to cause a rear-end crash and chase insurance money) can end in a fatal accident for you and everyone in your car. Don't be fooled into thinking your vehicle can take on a semitruck and win.