Wide Right Turn Truck Accidents Are Dangerous
Truckers must take safety measures to prevent serious & fatal truck accidents
Tractor-trailers are common sights on the roads in and around Jacksonville. They are very large vehicles that are difficult to maneuver, which is why drivers are required to undergo training before being granted a Commercial Driver's License (CDL).
One of the most dangerous maneuvers for truckers to make is a wide right turn. When truck drivers fail to take the proper safety measures, the result can be a devastating truck accident that leaves crash victims with serious and sometimes fatal injuries.
What makes taking wide right turns so dangerous?
One reason is size. Tractor-trailers are much larger than passenger vehicles and require more space to maneuver. When making a right turn, the truck's rear wheels follow a different path than the front wheels. This means that the trucker needs to swing the trailer out to the left before turning right to prevent the trailer from hitting other vehicles or objects.
Since tractor-trailers are much longer than passenger vehicles, the truck driver needs to take a wider turn to ensure the entire vehicle can safely clear the turn.
In addition, 18-wheelers are much heavier than passenger vehicles so they require more time and space to come to a complete stop. This means that drivers must carefully plan their turns to avoid sudden stops or swerves that could cause the load to shift or tip over.
Making a wide right turn safely
Truck drivers who need to take a wide right turn are required to:
- Position the 18-wheeler as close to the right side of the lane as possible before turning to ensure there is enough space without crossing into other lanes or hitting anything.
- Put on turn signals at least 100 feet before making the turn.
- Yield to pedestrians and give them enough time to cross the street before making the turn.
- Check mirrors and blind spots to ensure that there are no vehicles or obstacles in the truck's path.
- Make the turn slowly and smoothly, keeping the truck as close to the curb as possible.
- Avoid swinging wide to the left before making the turn, as this can put the tractor-trailer into the path of oncoming traffic.
Truck crash victims can suffer serious consequences
When a truck driver making a wide right turn is negligent, the 18-wheeler can crash into a passenger vehicle, motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian. Victims can suffer severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and damage to internal organs.
Accident victims may need surgery, hospitalization, medication, physical therapy, and multiple follow-up appointments with doctors. It can take months or even years for victims to recover from their injuries. Some are left with permanent disabilities. Unfortunately, fatal injuries also happen far too often in truck accidents involving negligence.
That's why if you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, it's important to get an experienced lawyer on your side to fight for the justice and accountability you deserve.
Get legal advice as soon as possible
At Pajcic & Pajcic, our truck accident attorneys take your case seriously from the start. Our highly skilled legal team can investigate your accident to find out what really happened. We gather evidence, carefully review accident reports, interview witnesses, and consult accident reconstruction experts as needed.
Our firm has a record of getting results for truck accident victims, such as a case involving a log truck making a U-turn on U.S. 1, in which we won a $13 million verdict for our client.
If you were hurt in a crash involving a tractor-trailer, learn more about how we can help. Contact us to schedule a free consultation. We can review the details of your case, explain your potential legal options, and answer your questions. Our office is located in Jacksonville, FL, and we handle truck accident cases nationwide.