Stopping Distance for Trucks
Commercial trucks, due to their size, weight, and momentum, are more difficult to bring to a complete stop. When truck drivers do not take into account the need for greater stopping distance, or other factors come into play that prevent a truck driver from safely stopping, major and catastrophic truck accidents can occur.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to another driver’s negligence, we at 844 See Mike are here for you every step of the way to ensure that your rights are protected, and you are fully compensated for your injuries and losses.
Impacting Stopping Distance
It takes a large truck almost twice as much time and distance to come to a complete stop compared to passenger vehicles. Weight and speed of the truck will impact the momentum, thus making it more difficult to stop a truck that is carrying heavy cargo at higher speeds than a truck at lower speeds without a large load. With trucking companies putting more stress on their drivers to get where they need to go quicker, speeding is a common factor that affects stopping distance.
Other factors that can impact truck stopping distance include:
- Fatigue-Trucking companies can often place unrealistic demands on their drivers, causing an increase in fatigued driving. Studies have shown that drivers who are tired have similar decision-making skills and reaction time as those drivers who are driving under the influence.
- Driving under the influence-Driving under the influence of alcohol or over-the-counter or illegal drugs is not only negligent and extremely dangerous, it affects the driver’s decision-making process and reaction time as well, making driving and stopping a large truck even more difficult.
- Weather-Poor weather makes the roads slick and dangerous for all drivers. Driving during inclement weather can increase the chances for truck drivers to lose control of their vehicle and increase the stopping distance required.
- Distracted driving-Distracted driving is a problem for everyone that gets behind the wheel. When a truck driver is eating, texting, checking emails, or playing with a GPS system or radio, his attention is not on the important task at-hand, which is keeping his eyes on the road and keeping his truck safely operating.
- Mechanical defects-Truck drivers and trucking companies are required to insure the trucks under their command are properly maintained. Unfortunately, sometimes this upkeep is not done routinely, or companies try to cut corners and overworked truck equipment causes accidents.
If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident, it is important to contact a personal injury lawyer to review your case.
We at 844 See Mike are proud to serve our fellow citizens in personal injury cases, especially when you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, and we are fully committed to protecting your rights and ensuring that the other party is held legally accountable when negligence occurs. We will fight until the very end to ensure that you are fully compensated for all injuries and losses resulting from the accident, including medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering, and you won’t owe us a dime for our services.
We see you as a person, not just a client – and that makes us better at work we do. We listen. We learn your story. And, as we help you get the money you deserve, we go above and beyond in a way most law firms never could and never would. Because we’re not just lawyers. And you’re not just a client. We’re friends, neighbors, family. We’re all people and here at 844 See Mike, we put People, First.
Helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people, not the powerful, we will take care of the insurance adjusters, your medical bills, your property damage, your lost wages, and monitor your treatment so you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal. Our unique formula has earned us over 900 outstanding client reviews on our website, an A+ BBB rating, and over 120 five-star reviews on Google. Call 888-572-0176, e-mail us at michael@agrusslawfirm.com, or schedule meeting with us here. We’re here 24/7.
Submitted Comments
No Comments submitted yet. Sharing your story will help others!