Posted on Friday, September 15th, 2017 at 4:53 am
Tailgating is dangerous regardless of the vehicles involved. However, when you are tailgating a commercial truck, you are increasing your risk of a deadly car crash. You may have seen signs on large trucks advising you to remain several hundred feet from the rear of the truck. You should take these warning very seriously and avoid following a truck too closely to reduce your risk of being severely injured in a large truck accident.
Consequences of Tailgating a Large Truck
According to information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), large trucks were rear-ended by another vehicle nearly four times more often than a large truck rear-ending another vehicle in fatal crashes. When a large truck and another vehicle were involved in a fatal crash during 2015, 21 percent of the time the other vehicle rear ended the truck while only six percent of the accidents involved a large truck rear-ending the other vehicle.
Following a truck too closely can result in a deadly rear-end crash for the other vehicle. A large commercial truck driver is further away from the point of impact when another vehicle rear-ends the truck. The passengers in the other vehicle simply do not have sufficient protection when the vehicle rear ends a large truck. The force of the impact often causes severe or life-threatening injuries for the passengers in the vehicle that rear-ends the truck. It is a tragic lesson that some drivers learn far too late to save themselves or their passengers.
Safe Driving Tips for Following Large Trucks
The best way to prevent a deadly rear-end crash with a large truck is to avoid following the truck too closely and tailgating. You need to allow extra room between your vehicle and the large truck. A good rule to follow is that if you cannot see the driver in his side mirror, the driver cannot see you. It may be tempting to tailgate a truck that is going slowly; however, it is simply not worth the risk. If the truck must stop quickly, you may not have time to avoid the collision because you cannot see what is ahead of the truck to anticipate when the truck driver must stop quickly.
In addition to allowing additional room between your vehicle and the large truck, you should also avoid driving in the truck’s blind spots. Large trucks have several large blind spots where the truck driver is unable to see other vehicles. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has information about blind spots and truck “No Zones” on its website. All drivers should review the “no zones” and avoid driving in these areas around large trucks.
Call a Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer
If you are injured in a truck accident, never assume that you are not entitled to compensation even if you were following too closely. You should always consult an experienced Sacramento truck accident attorney to learn about your rights and options related to an injury claim.
