Trucks are large, heavy and riddled with blind spots. To make matters worse, truck drivers work long hours that can lead to exhaustion and other causes of impaired driving. Thankfully, learning about blind spots can help you reduce the risk of a serious truck accident injury and keep you and your family safe.

Truck Accident Statistics

So, how deadly are truck accidents? Here are some statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

• More than 4,100 people died in truck crashes in 2019.
• Occupants of passenger vehicles make up 67% of truck accident fatalities.
• Bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians make up 15% of truck accident fatalities.
• Truck accident fatalities are on the rise, showing a 31% percent rise from 2009 to 2019.

How To Stay Out of a Truck’s Blindspot

Blind spots are areas in any vehicle where the driver cannot see other road users while driving. Trucks have more blind spots than any other vehicles on the road. The longer the truck, the more blind spots it has. Here’s how to stay out of the blind spots:

• When traveling in the neighboring lane, ensure you can see the driver in the side mirror.
• When traveling directly behind a truck, give the truck driver 20 to 25 car lengths of space.
• Pay attention to the truck’s signals and yield the right of way whenever feasible.

How To Avoid a Truck Wreck

In addition to avoiding a truck’s blind spots, try not to make any sudden stops in front of a truck. If you notice one is coming up fast behind you, try to change lanes or pull over and let them pass. It could be an aggressive driver, or even worse, he or she could be asleep.

The Types of Truck Wrecks

Truck wrecks tend to fall into the same category as all other motor vehicle accidents. These are some of the most common ones:

• Head-on collisions
• Rear-end collisions
• Roll-over accidents
• Underride accidents
• Tire blowouts

Despite all your best efforts, a truck driver’s negligence could still cause a serious accident. Contact Atterbury, Kammer & Haag, S.C. to speak with our truck accident injury attorneys.