Here’s How Trucks Can Be Dangerous in More Ways than One

Being behind a big rig can prove to be challenging because not only are you driving a giant vehicle but more often than you, you are on the road for long hours as well. This only means that when trucks are involved in road accidents, the impact can prove to be more fatal to both life and property. This article delves into how trucks can be dangerous in more ways than one.

Size

One of the primary reasons why trucks pose more danger on the road is because of their size, which means that trucks generally need to make a wider turn to change direction. Without ample room to navigate, a truck can easily cause a road jam. Statistics show that in Illinois, trucks account for 10% of fatal traffic accidents in the state. In this case, if you find yourself in a road mishap on a Chicago highway, make sure that you get in touch with a Chicago truck accident attorney who will be able to help you handle your situation. Rest assured that a legal professional will work well with you to ensure that you get the assistance that you need.

Apart from manoeuvring a big rig, trucks are also more dangerous because they are more prone to tire blowouts. This can be attributed to the fact that they spend more time on the road while carrying huge and heavy cargo. Trucks also tend to move more air because of their size, which can create serious turbulence and knock smaller vehicles on the road off their path.

Weight

Another reason why trucks prove to be more dangerous on the road is because of their weight. For instance, a small trailer can weigh as much as 80000 pounds, which is around twenty times greater than the average size of an SUV. This means that it can easily crush any other vehicle on the road in case of a mishap, which can prove to be fatal.

Alongside this, trucks also tend to take more time to stop because of their weight. In parallel to this, a greater force is also necessary to make it stop and you cannot apply force all at once because the driver will most likely lose control of the vehicle. Apart from stopping, it also takes longer for big rigs to accelerate, which means that they need more time to overtake another vehicle on the road, lengthening the risk of a head-on collision with a road user from the other direction.

Driving a big rig is not only challenging, rather it requires more extreme precautions and skills to ensure road safety. Keep in mind that a large vehicle being involved in a road mishap can lead to more fatal results even with minimal impact. Apart from the size and weight of trucks, driver fatigue is another factor that makes big rigs more dangerous are truck drivers often spend hours on the road. Thus, whenever you put yourself behind the wheel of a big rig, make sure that you employ road vigilance to guarantee your safety and security while driving.