You’ve seen it on Kentucky roads: a sporty little car roaring around the comparatively slow truck, then darting back in front of it. That driver might as well drive directly to the funeral home and start making arrangements.
Seriously, how intelligent does one have to be to recognize the chances of surviving a collision with that mammoth machine? An accident may be unavoidable even if the truck driver reacts quickly; gravity, friction (or lack thereof), and the weight of the truck come into play. As a matter of fact, if the truck driver reacts too quickly, the truck could roll over, crushing whatever is beneath it.
Let’s look at some facts.
A study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute reviewed crash data on more than 8,300 fatal accidents involving a truck and a passenger vehicle. The results revealed that cars and other light vehicles were at fault in 81 percent of the accidents. Cars caused
- 89 percent of head-on collisions;
- 88 percent of opposite-direction sideswipes;
- 80 percent of rear-end collisions; and
- 72 percent of same-direction sideswipes.
And what were the car drivers charged with?
- driving too fast for the conditions;
- improper following; and
- failure to keep in lane.
The solution is clear: Recognize that you’re driving a two-ton combination of metal, glass, and flammable liquid; that you’re among other, perhaps less skillful drivers of similar machines; and that you share the road with machines that are many times larger than yours.
If someone you love has been injured or killed in a Kentucky truck accident, contact a Louisville accident attorney at Gray and White Law. Call us at 502-210-8942 or toll free at 888-450-4456 to set up a FREE, no-obligation consultation.