Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Share Tips for Driving Safely Near Big Trucks

A recent accident on Highway 28 that involved an SUV and a log truck serves as a reminder that extra caution is required when driving near large trucks. The accident occurred when the driver of the SUV tried to pass the truck and bumped into it instead. The impact caused the driver of the SUV to lose control of the vehicle, which then flipped over several times as it left the roadway.

Unfortunately, accidents like the one mentioned above, which involve a passenger vehicle and a large truck, are not all that unusual. Approximately two hundred and fifty such collisions occur on American roadways every year. In many of these accidents, the drivers of the passenger vehicles were fully or partially responsible for the collisions. Fortunately, drivers of passenger vehicles may be able to reduce the likelihood that they will be involved in an accident with a big rig by learning more about how to drive safely near large trucks.

One time that accidents are more likely to occur is when the driver of a passenger vehicle passes a truck. Trucks go slowly when they are going up hills, and drivers often want to pass trucks because they feel anxious about driving in close proximity to them. However, it is important that drivers understand how to pass trucks safely. It takes longer to pass a truck than it does to pass another passenger vehicle, but it is important that you maintain a steady speed as you pass, even if it means that the pass takes you a bit of time. Only pass a truck on the left, and be sure that you are well ahead of it before you switch lanes again. You can also avoid collisions with trucks that are passing your vehicle by slowing down a bit so that they can make their pass sooner.

Of course, accidents can happen even when trucks and passenger vehicles are not passing each other. If the driver of a passenger vehicle is distracted or tired, they may get too close to a truck and hit it or drift out of their lane and collide with the truck if they are driving next to it. When passenger vehicles merge improperly and cut in front of an oncoming truck, the truck driver may not be able to slow down in time or switch lanes in order to avoid a collision.

Drivers who disregard or are unaware of a truck’s blind spots increase the likelihood of an accident. A tractor trailer or other, similarly sized vehicle has blind spots directly behind it, next to its left rear quarter, and next to its right front quarter. If a passenger vehicle is in a truck’s blind spot, the truck driver cannot see it and therefore might collide with it if they move in its direction.

Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Representing the Victims of Trucking Accidents Throughout Mississippi

If you were hurt by an accident involving a tractor trailer, call qualified Mississippi Trucking Accident Attorneys right away. The Mississippi Trucking Accident Attorneys at the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. are here to help you, so please call us today, at (601) 355-2022.