While traveling Phoenix roads, you are likely to encounter a number of big trucks. But because of their large size, sharing the road with trucks takes special consideration. Not paying adequate attention to their limitations could lead to a very severe, even fatal, truck accident. To comfortably share the road with big trucks, please follow these safety tips:

· Don’t linger in blind spots. When coming upon trucks on the road, it’s best to pass quickly and safely. Staying in a truck’s blind spots (located directly in front or back of or on the driver’s or passenger’s side of a truck) puts you at greater risk for a serious accident. Keep a safe distance from trucks at all times.

· Give trucks extra room for merging and lane changes. If you see a truck on the road with its signal on, be sure to give it plenty of room to move into your lane.

· Watch for trucks making wide right turns. Big trucks need much more room to make right turns than regular-sized vehicles. If you come upon a truck signaling to make a right turn, be sure to give them plenty of room to maneuver. Don’t squeeze in between the truck and the curb.

· Don’t cut-off trucks. Trying to fit in tight spots in front of other vehicles is risky with normal-sized vehicles, but with trucks that can’t brake quickly, it’s outright hazardous. If you can’t see both of the truck’s headlights in your rearview mirror, don’t make the lane change.

To summarize, when encountering a truck on the road, allow sufficient room for braking and turning, be mindful of blind spots and keep a safe distance to avoid accidents.

If you’ve been injured in an accident with a truck, you can count on the professional, experienced auto accident attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience. Serving Mesa, the East Valley and the greater Phoenix area, we can help guide you in your time of legal need. Contact us for a free legal consultation.

Disclaimer: The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.

Every year in the U.S., more than 100,000 people are injured in accidents involving trucks.

On any given day in the Phoenix metro, you can find a number of delivery trucks, service trucks and semi-trucks traveling the streets and highways, making deliveries and transporting goods. As vital as these commercial vehicles are to timely transportation, they can also prove to be deadly if involved in an accident, especially with regular-sized cars. Because of their considerable sizes and heavy loads, trucks can cause substantial damage and death if involved in a collision. To illustrate how destructive a collision with a truck can be, here are a few statistics on truck accidents in the U.S.:

Truck Accident Facts

• In an average year in the U.S., 130,000 people are injured in truck accidents.
• About 98 percent of all semi-truck accidents result in at least one fatality.
• The average cost of an accident involving a commercial truck is about $59,150.
• Approximately 75 percent of commercial truck accidents are caused by drivers of other smaller passenger vehicles, rather than the truck driver.
• Driver fatigue is to blame for around 30 percent of all commercial truck accidents.

Causes of Truck Accidents

There are many potential causes for truck accidents, but here are a few of the most common:

• Overloaded trucks / Oversized trucks
• Poor driving conditions such as rain, snow, fog or ice
• Speeding
• Fatigued drivers
• Failure to yield to the right of way
• Inexperienced drivers
• Poorly maintained brakes or other vehicle safety systems

No matter what the cause of the accident, it’s imperative to take the right steps following the collision. In many truck accidents, trucking companies will conduct their own investigation, which mostly likely will not be in your favor. Don’t rely on that investigation. In order to make sure you can recoup damages resulting from the accident, make sure to contact the proper legal authorities, find witnesses, take pictures and gather any other evidence you can that will help your case. And, of course, your lawyer can advise you on the best course of action after an accident.

Truck Accidents vs. Car Accidents

Besides being more likely to cause more damage and result in serious injuries or death, truck accidents are usually more complicated than regular car accidents. Although the same laws of negligence apply, there are vehicle codes that apply only to commercial truck drivers and trucking companies. Because of these special regulations, it is important to find a lawyer who is knowledgeable about the federal and state laws governing truck accidents to maximize your damage recovery.

If you or someone close to you has been injured in a truck accident, you will need a highly skilled lawyer to fight for your rights. The accident lawyers of SGP Law have plenty of experience dealing with cases that involve truck accidents and helping clients receive the maximum amount of compensation to which they are entitled. To speak with a lawyer about your case, please contact us today.