How to Prevent Being in a Truck Accident

When you're operating a large truck, there are a variety of issues that can bring about an accident. In 2012, 104,000 people were injured in truck accidents, some of which were multi-vehicle crashes. When you want to avoid getting into a truck accident, there are several things that you should do while driving.

What Truck Drivers Can Do to Prevent Accidents

When you're driving a large truck, it's important that you always exercise caution on both long and short drives. The vast majority of trucks are currently equipped with data recorders that are designed to log how long a truck has been driven as well as a variety of additional metrics. This information is designed to help reduce the number of truck accidents that take place. For lengthy drives, truck drivers should take breaks every 30 minutes or so in order to avoid fatigue and other issues. There are also many regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that truck drivers will need to follow. As long as you pay attention to the rules of the road in Pennsylvania and be aware of the fact that vehicles can appear suddenly in your blind spot, you should be able to lessen the chances of being involved in a truck accident. Since driving a truck requires even more focus than driving a car, it's important that you keep distractions away, which means that you should never eat or talk on the phone while operating the truck. When merging to another lane, do so carefully and always activate your turn signal to provide other drivers with an ample amount of time to get out of your blind spot.

Obtain Regular Truck Maintenance

While many truck accidents in Pennsylvania are caused by distracted drivers, it's also possible for the truck to break down or malfunction if you don't keep it in good condition, which is why you should obtain regular maintenance for your truck. Preventative maintenance can reduce the number of breakdowns that you experience when on the road, which can also serve to lessen the chances that you're in an accident. Preventative maintenance checklists will focus on such aspects of the truck as its powertrain, air brakes, suspension, electrical system, wheels, body, and chassis. While most drivers will automatically obtain a pre-trip inspection before they go out on a big drive, many forget or simply avoid a post-trip inspection, which is just as important.

What to Do When Involved in an Accident

While it's possible to reduce your chances of being involved in a truck accident during lengthy drives, you can't eliminate the possibility. When you are involved in an accident, medical attention is important. Even if it doesn't seem like you’re injured, there are a number of injuries that don't display symptoms until 24-48 hours have passed. An example of this type of injury is whiplash, which occurs when your head moves suddenly backward and forward. While many cases of whiplash are minor and won't cause many complications, it's possible for whiplash to lead to more serious problems with your spine, which is why medical attention is so important. If you believe that another driver was at fault for your truck accident, you may want to get in touch with one of our Allentown truck accident lawyers. We have the experience necessary to assist you throughout the claims process and will be able to inform you about what this process entails. When it comes to truck accidents, the main factor in identifying whether or not you're able to receive compensation is determining who was at fault for the accident. If the other driver was at fault, their insurance company may owe you some form of compensation for the accident. In the event that you've been involved in a truck accident and you would like to obtain representation for your case, contact our Allentown truck accident lawyers today at (610) 435-7400 to get started.