You may hear it on the news every day, another semitruck caused a crash leading to highway delays. Irresponsible trucking can lead to more than late work commutes: Many people can be seriously or fatally injured.
Several thousand pounds of metal driving full force into a sedan is going to do a lot more than ding the rear bumper of your vehicle. You may need to take the time and know the signs of potential danger from a truck driver.
What to watch for around trucks
You might find that an irresponsible trucker has many of the same qualities as the next bad motorist. You might notice a semitruck is:
- Not using signaling
- Running traffic lights
- Disobeying road signs
- Swerving
- Braking late
- Tailgating
- Driving at irregular speeds
Any of these can be signals that a trucker is struggling to handle their vehicle, and that puts you in danger. The wise thing to do is to put some distance between you and the truck, even if that means pulling off at the nearest stop for an unexpected break.
What causes reckless trucking?
Truckers face a lot of stress in their job. They don’t have the liberty to control the deadline of their shipments and that can cause them to skip meals, sleep or exercise. Lack of sleep, food and water can lead to obesity and depression for a trucker. A trucker might suddenly collapse from exhaustion or lose focus from built-up health issues.
Plus, some truckers just aren’t qualified for their job. A recent change has lowered the legal age to drive a truck from 21 to 18 years of age. These truckers may not have the experience to drive big machinery around other drivers safely.
Even knowing the signs of an irresponsible truck driver can’t guarantee you’ll be safe from accidents. If you’ve recently been in an accident with a truck then you may need experienced help to recover your losses.