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3 Tips to Help Car Drivers Avoid Truck Crashes – Advice from a Greenville Accident Attorney

June 2, 2016

Due to their size and weight, 18-wheelers can cleave a path of destruction. Accidents between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles are likely to end with injuries or worse.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , 68 percent of truck fatalities in 2014 were occupants of passenger vehicles. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to avoid these accidents:

  1. Learn how commercial trucks operate;
  2. Keep your distance in adverse weather;
  3. And do not stop on a busy highway.

If you were injured in an accident in Greenville, South Carolina, contact the Churdar Law Firm. Doug Churdar is a personal-injury lawyer who can evaluate your crash, interview witnesses, gather evidence and handle settlement negotiations on your behalf. He has achieved successful outcomes in injury cases involving auto accidents, truck crashes, brain trauma and other types of injury.

Call 864-233-0203 to schedule a consultation. You can also learn more about injury lawsuits in South Carolina by visiting the USAttorneys website.

Here are three tips that can help you avoid potentially fatal truck accidents:

1. Learn How Commercial Trucks Operate

Trucks do not operate the same as passenger vehicles, and if you know how a semi-tractor trailer functions, you will be better able to predict the driver’s actions. Some trucks weigh 30 times as much as ordinary passenger vehicles. They need more distance to stop, so if a truck is tailgating you, change lanes as soon as it is safe to do so.

Trucks also have higher centers of gravity, so they are more prone to rollovers – especially on off- and on-ramps. If you notice that a trucker is speeding on a winding road, keep your distance.

Commercial trucks need more space to turn. If you are approaching an intersection and a semi-tractor trailer indicates a turn, slow down and expect the driver to pull into your lane for a wider angle.

2. Keep Your Distance in Adverse Weather

A truck’s stopping distance can increase dramatically in wet or icy conditions, as the U.S. Department of Transportation explains. Adverse weather can also reduce a trucker’s visibility, which may prevent him or her from seeing you in a blind spot. In poor weather, you should double your following distance and avoid trucks’ blind spots.

3. Do Not Stop on a Busy Highway

The shoulder of a busy highway is not a safe place to stop. You should never pull over unless it is absolutely necessary, and in those scenarios, get as far off the road as possible.

Be sure to pack reflective triangles or flares in your emergency kit. Set them alongside the highway if you break down so truckers will notice you on the roadside.

Were You Injured in an Accident in Greenville, South Carolina?

If you were injured by a negligent truck driver in South Carolina, contact the Churdar Law Firm. Doug Churdar is a Greenville accident attorney who can assess your case to determine if you have grounds for a claim. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages and noneconomic damages. Call 864-233-0203 to schedule a consultation.

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