Georgia officials are planning to construct a truck-only highway along the 40-mile stretch from Macon to Atlanta. The project would help to reduce congestion, increase safety, and provide for the anticipated increase in truck traffic over the next several years.
Sharing the Road
Unfortunately, truck-only highways are still a few years away. In the meantime, it’s important to drive safely while sharing the road with semi-trucks, 18 wheelers, and tractor trailers. The steps to drive safely around these large trucks are a little different than driving around other vehicles.
- Stay Out of No Zones – Keep in mind that if you aren’t able to see the driver of the truck in the side mirror, it’s safe to assume that he or she can’t see you, either. Remember that truckers will also be unable to see you if you are within approximately 20 feet of the front of the truck.
- Give Extra Space – Trucks take longer to stop than other vehicles, so leave extra room when merging in front of them.
- Stay Back – In addition to staying out of blind spots while moving, it’s important to allow extra space behind trucks when stopped. They may roll back a bit when accelerating from a stop, especially on a hill.
- Don’t Squeeze In – When trucks have to turn, they usually swing wide to ensure that the trailer doesn’t hit the curb. Avoid the temptation to squeeze between the truck and the curb to make a faster right-hand turn. You also shouldn’t stop in front of the road lines that indicate where your vehicle should be positioned on the road as this may make it impossible for the driver to turn.
- Be Patient – Many trucks are limited to a certain top speed, and all trucks take longer to accelerate and decelerate. Be patient, stay back, and avoid making any risky moves to get around the truck.
These tips are not just for semi-trucks, 18 wheelers and tractor trailers. Any large vehicle, such as a school bus, fire truck, or construction vehicle warrants caution. However, the sheer size of semi-trucks makes them dangerous for drivers who are not aware of how to safely drive around them.
In Case of Accident
No matter how careful you are, accidents still happen. Be certain to obtain documentation of the accident, including photographs of the scene, driver insurance information, and police reports. This information will be the basis for your case, though you will also want to retain documentation of all resulting expenses. Remember that even lost wages may be recovered in personal injury cases.
Also, many large trucks have dash cameras also known as “dash cams” that record important information about how the trucker was driving at the time of the accident. This video footage can be very useful for your case. However, it is important that this footage is downloaded as quickly as possible as many dash cameras automatically record over video if it is not saved within a certain time period. An experienced Atlanta trucking attorney will know how to quickly force a trucking company to retain this important video footage.
Contact a Georgia Personal Injury Attorney Now
If you are involved in an accident involving a semi-truck, 18 wheeler, tractor-trailer or any type of commercial truck, get in touch with an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney right away. The trucking attorneys at Council & Associates, LLC can help you to collect compensation for your injuries and vehicle repairs. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
