Professional Trucking Accidents | Facts and Figures
If you have driven on an interstate recently I am sure you have seen more than your share of big rigs and delivery trucks. They are the life lines through which our shipping flows on a daily basis and they are also the location of some of our most severe truck accidents. One of the main reason are the "Professional Drivers". Heavy truckers are usually working on long hours with little sleep so they use various caffeine pills and stimulants to stay awake. The inevitable energy crash is often closely followed by the truck crash. Since they are sharing the road with cars and motorcycles that are dwarfed by their massive machines, the truck comes out on top of any high speed encounter. Many people believe that they know when and where to be on the look out for big rigs and how to handle themselves around them. Many people are wrong.
Here are some statistics to give perspective to the problem:
Over 600 people, both truck drivers and passengers, die in heavy truck accidents each year. When the accident involves a small car or SUV over 3,500 people, both drivers and passengers, die in those vehicles.
In a report done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, results showed that when a heavy truck collides with a passenger care, there is a 98% fatality rate for the people in the car.
Most accidents involving heavy trucks occurred in rural areas
Most heavy truck accidents happen during the day, on dry roads and in good weather.
Taking these facts into consideration, it is obvious that most people do not know what to expect from sharing the road with a heavy truck.
The first thing to remember is that you cannot treat them like just another car. You cannot force them over, stop short in front of them or use other aggressive driving tactics. Mainly because they cannot stop on a dime. A standard heavy truck will weigh around 15 tons and many more than that if it is carrying a full load. So, if you stop short in front of one they will not be able to avoid an accident.
The second thing to remember is that they have wide blind spots. If you follow too closely behind one it may stop unexpectedly or even take a turn in front of you because you did not show up in their mirror. Also, following closely is not recommended because the debris that sometimes come off of these trucks can severely damage you or your vehicle.
Call A Georgia Trucking Accident Expert Today
If you or someone you know has been seriously insured or killed in a trucking related accident in Georgia you need to strong legal team of Cash, Krugler, and Fredericks on your side. The Georgia Trucking Accident experts at Cash, Krugler, and Fredericks will work tirelessly to ensure that you recieve the settlement you deserve. Call today for a free trucking accident case evaluation and put Atlanta's premier attorney firm to work for you.
