Trucks are the backbone of this country. Every day, trucks take food to grocery stores, clothes to clothing stores, and supplies to retailers and manufacturers and bring it all back at the end of a workday. These goods make up the vast majority of goods bought and sold daily. Trucks are responsible for some of the accidents we hear about on the news and witness on the road. Here are some of the reasons why trucking accidents are more dangerous.
1. Trucks are Heavy and Carry a Lot of Cargo
Trucks are bigger and heavier than standard cars. They also carry a lot more cargo than cars and smaller trucks. This means that they have much more potential to cause serious damage. The fact that trucks are bigger means that when they have an accident, the amount of damage is tremendous, which means that the number of potential injuries is more significant, which means that the cost of repairs to these vehicles is higher.
2. Trucks are Moving at Higher Speeds
Trucks are working at higher speeds than cars. Trucks are also driving at higher speeds because they want to make their deliveries faster. This means that they are going faster than cars, making accidents more likely. They are also harder to stop, especially when they are loaded. When the trucks are speeding, they can cause serious accidents, especially when they’re involved in accidents with cars.
3. Trucks Can’t Turn as Quickly as Cars
Every day trucks are much bigger and heavier than other cars. This makes them harder to maneuver and steer around. Trucks have a much wider turning radius, making them more challenging to maneuver in tight spaces. To make deliveries, trucks have to be able to turn in and out of tight spaces, which means that they often have accidents when they are performing this function.
4. Trucks Need to Brake Quickly and Smoothly
Trucks need to stop smoothly to avoid getting into accidents. They also need to brake smoothly while they are at slower speeds. This means that when trucks are driving, they constantly use their brakes and accelerate. This can create the perfect scenario for accidents. When trucks have to stop quickly, for instance, when following another truck that is stopping suddenly, their larger mass makes them harder to control than a smaller vehicle. This can cause the truck to skid, which can cause the truck to get into an accident.
5. Trucks are More Difficult to Steer
Trucks are much harder to steer. This is because they have so much weight behind them. This means that they have much more momentum and need to control where they are going. If trucks were easier to steer, accidents would be averted.
6. Trucks are More Dangerous During Bad Weather
Extreme weather is one of the common causes of trucking accidents. Sometimes bad weather can cause a driver to accidentally send their truck over the curb and into a group of pedestrians. Excessive rain can cause slick roads, which the driver might not be able to avoid. Extreme snow can cause trucks to slide off the road or into another vehicle. Drivers must be cautious during bad storms and always go below the speed limit to be safe.
7. Trucks are Stuck in Congested Areas More Often
Because of the size of trucks, they are more likely to get stuck in traffic than standard cars. This congestion can cause many accidents, especially in the case of multiple vehicles that are stuck together. This can drive a truck to rear-end another vehicle when they have to move and stop suddenly, which can cause the other vehicle to crash into the truck. This chain reaction can cause multiple vehicles to crash and many accidents.
Trucks are vital to the US economy and society. They are also a big part of the population. There are a lot of benefits to trucks, and they can reasonably be called the backbone of US society. However, this also means they have a higher potential for causing accidents than cars or other vehicles. This can be dangerous if accidents happen, causing injury and even death.
