There are many regulations in place regarding the operating of trucks. This is because the vehicles can cause a huge amount of damage in the event of a collision. Both truck drivers and the drivers of ordinary vehicles have certain obligations to ensure road safety. While every collision involving a truck is unique, there are a few common causes of truck accidents that are usually a contributing factor in any truck collision.
If you have recently been involved in a collision involving a truck, it is important that you understand the common causes so you can start to build a picture of which party is likely to be at fault.
Driving in the “no-zones”
Since trucks are such large vehicles, truck drivers have zero visibility in certain areas around their vehicle from their rearview mirrors. Car drivers should be aware of the no-zones around the truck where they will not be visible to the driver. They have the responsibility not to linger in these zones because it makes a crash much more likely.
Unsafe passing
When passing a truck, you should make sure that there is enough headway to do so. You should be aware of the fact that trucks take longer to slow down than ordinary vehicles.
Truck driver fatigue
Truck drivers are often required to operate the vehicle for many hours at a time. They have the responsibility to take regular rest periods because fatigue can cause slow response rates, which in turn can lead to collisions.
It is important that you take swift action to ensure that fault is correctly attributed after an accident involving a truck in Texas.