As one of the largest vehicles on our roads, trucks can cause devastating consequences in a collision. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020, there were 132 truck accidents in South Carolina, the highest annual tally from the previous five years.
If you are injured due to a truck driver’s negligence in Charleston, South Carolina, you are entitled to compensation. Attorney Julian Allen has years of experience as a former insurance defense lawyer, so knows the tactics used to deny or reduce compensation claims and how to counter them.
Call Allen Law today at (843) 882-5005 so we can begin helping you.
What Makes Trucks Dangerous
Many factors make trucks particularly dangerous on the roads. These include:
- Size: A truck takes up more road space – making it more likely to accidentally cross the center line and increase the chance of collision if oncoming traffic crosses this line. Furthermore, the impacts of a crash are drastically magnified by a truck’s larger size and weight.
- Blind spots: Trucks also have a number of blind spots where they cannot see other vehicles, including right behind them, the areas at the side of the truck not captured by the side mirrors, and immediately in front of the truck at a low level.
- Heavy loads: Commercial trucks often carry heavy loads, requiring more space in front of the truck to bring the vehicle to a stop, meaning the driver cannot respond as quickly to unexpected hazards.
- Fatigued drivers: Truck drivers also commonly carry cargo across large distances while under time pressure, leading to fatigued drivers. This brings a multitude of risks including impaired judgment, slower reaction times, and falling asleep while driving.
Staying Safe Around Trucks
Although trucks are particularly dangerous on our roads, there are steps other road users can take to help keep themselves safe around trucks.
- Reducing your speed gives the truck driver more time to be aware of where you are and for both you and them to react to a given situation. Slower speeds also reduce the severity of a collision.
- Avoid the truck’s blind spots, particularly directly behind them, on their side where their side mirrors cannot see your vehicle, and directly in front of the truck.
- Reporting unsafe drivers on the roads can also help prevent collisions and keep other road users safe.
- Pass on the left of the truck, following relevant road rules so your passing is expected by the driver.
- Leave distance in front of the truck. Remember that trucks often leave a wide distance from cars in front to account for their slower stopping time. Do not move lanes or overtake directly in front of a truck, leaving them little space between you and them to stop.
How Allen Law Can Help
Despite how careful you might be around trucks, accidents can happen. If you are injured in a truck accident and the truck driver is at fault, you are entitled to compensation for your losses.
This can include compensation for medical expenses and lost wages, as well as for pain and suffering. In the tragic event that the accident results in the death of a loved one, their family can seek compensation for the loss of that person in their life.
A truck accident lawyer at Allen Law can help you obtain favorable compensation and receive justice. Our experienced team can determine fault and evaluate the approximate figure you are entitled to, negotiate settlements with the at-fault party’s insurer, or advocate for you to receive compensation in the courtroom.
Call us today at (843) 882-5005 for a free consultation.