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When it comes to collisions with tractor-trailers, cars, pick-up trucks and SUVs are on the wrong side of the laws of phsyicis. Big, 18-wheel rigs often weigh up to 80,000 pounds, while passenger vehicles typically weigh from 2,000 to 6,000 pounds (for the biggest SUVs).
Although commercial trucks such as 18-wheelers make up only four percent of registered vehicles, they are involved in 11 percent of all traffic fatalities. And nearly one-quarter of all passenger vehicles deaths in multi-vehicle crashes involve big rigs. The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) annually compiles statistics about tractor trailer accidents:
More than 5,000 people are killed in crashes involving tractor-trailers each year, which is the equivalent of 26 major airliner crashes.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates the cost of injuries and deaths caused by crashes with large trucks exceeds $19 billion per year.
According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), a truck weighing 100,000 pounds with unadjusted brakes travels 25 percent farther after the driver steps on the brakes than an 80,000-pound truck. A 120,000-pound truck can travel as much as 50 percent farther before stopping than an 80,000-pound truck. Here are some steps you can take to avoid colliding with a truck:
Beware of blind spots. Glance at the truck's rear-view mirrors. Just as those bumper stickers say: If you can't see the truck driver, the truck driver can't see you.
Leave room. If you're passing a semi-truck, don't enter the lane in front of it until you can see the entire cab in your rear-view mirror. Try to leave extra room between your vehicle and the truck -- a semi-truck needs extra braking distance.
Keep a wide berth. If a truck has its turn signal on, be patient. Don't try to pass it while it's about to make a turn. Big rigs typically make wide turns and many accidents occur when cars try to save time by zipping around a turning truck.
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