The Greatest Risks Posed by Commercial Trucks for Other Drivers

In Wyoming, during the five-year period from 2017-2021, there were 7,599 traffic crashes involving large commercial trucks. This was about 11% of all traffic accidents. Other road users usually suffer the worst injury and damage in the event of a commercial truck accident.

Dangers of Commercial Trucks on Wyoming Roads

There are a few things that drivers in Wyoming need to understand about commercial trucks, like how and why they have high reported accident rates.

Size and Weight Disparity

The massive size of commercial trucks means that when an 80,000-pound vehicle hits your small family car, the laws of physics are unforgiving. And unfortunately, even at lower speeds, the energy transferred in these crashes often causes severe injuries or death for people in smaller vehicles.

Limited Visibility and Blind Spots

They sit up high, but commercial trucks have large blind spots called "no-zones," where other vehicles become completely invisible to the driver. These blind spots stretch nearly 20 feet in front of the truck, along both sides (especially on the right), and for a long distance behind the trailer.

Longer Stopping Distances

The stopping distance of a commercial truck is affected by its size. At 55 mph, a loaded tractor-trailer needs 196 feet to stop, compared with 133 feet for a passenger vehicle, and that’s under ideal conditions. This difference gets even bigger on wet, icy, or slippery roads.

Unlike the hydraulic brakes in cars, commercial trucks use air brakes that take a fraction of a second to engage after the driver presses the pedal. This small delay adds crucial feet to the stopping distance at highway speeds. When truck drivers travel too fast, they are creating a potentially deadly situation where the truck simply cannot stop in time.

Wide Turns and Maneuverability Issues

Commercial trucks make very wide turns, especially when turning right, and cars can get trapped between the turning truck and the curb. To make a right turn, truck drivers often need to swing left first to create enough space.

During this turn, the truck driver has very limited visibility, and a vehicle inside the turning path becomes almost impossible to see. Many deadly accidents happen when a trailer swings into a smaller vehicle, crushing it against a curb or barrier.

Fatigue and Driver Error

Federal rules allow truck drivers to drive up to 11 hours at a stretch. However, even with required rest periods, long-distance trucking is inherently tiring, and drivers are hardly ever well-rested. Additionally, many bypass the required rest time to instead cash in on higher delivery fulfillment rates that the commercial trucking companies push for.

Driver error is another major cause of truck accidents, and includes things like distracted driving, improper lane changes, misjudging stopping distances, and failing to adjust to weather conditions.

Improper Maintenance and Mechanical Failures

Mechanical issues and untimely maintenance lead to truck accidents, with issues like brake failures contributing to a significant percentage of truck accidents. Other mechanical failure examples include blown-out tires and problems with the transmission or steering.

Tire blowouts are particularly dangerous, as they can cause the tire to detach from the wheel, forcing other drivers to swerve unpredictably. At highway speeds, this scenario frequently leads to multi-vehicle crashes.

Hazardous Cargo Risks

Many commercial trucks transport materials that pose additional dangers beyond the physical risk of collision, including flammable liquids, corrosive substances, and toxic chemicals. A 2019 report reveals that hazardous materials were present on 2% of trucks in fatal crashes in the U.S..

Tanker trucks carrying flammable materials like gasoline present perhaps the most obvious risk, as crashes can lead to explosive fires. Shifting loads can cause trucks to jackknife or roll over, while spilled cargo creates additional hazards for other drivers.

Severe Injury and Fatality Rates

People in passenger vehicles are more likely to die in collisions with commercial trucks than the truck drivers themselves. About 70% of deaths in truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles, while only 19% are the truck drivers.

The types of injuries sustained in truck accidents tend to be catastrophic, from brain injuries to spinal cord damage, multiple broken bones, and internal organ damage. Additionally, survivors usually face long recovery periods or even permanent disabilities.

FAQ

How Do I Know if the Trucking Company Violated Safety Regulations?

Professional truck accident attorneys can obtain and analyze logbooks, maintenance records, and electronic data to identify hours-of-service violations, improper maintenance, or other regulatory breaches that may have contributed to your accident.

Can I Sue Both the Truck Driver and the Trucking Company?

Yes. In many cases, both the driver and the company that employs them may be liable for damages. The commercial trucking company can be responsible because of direct negligence or through legal rules that hold employers responsible for employee actions during work.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident in Wyoming?

Wyoming generally allows four years to file a personal injury lawsuit, but there may be exceptions to this general rule. Also, remember that important evidence in truck accident cases can disappear quickly, so it's best to talk to an attorney as soon as possible.

What You Can Do if You've Been Injured

At The Spence Law Firm, we've spent decades fighting for people injured by negligent trucking companies and drivers. Our award-winning Wyoming personal injury attorneys have recovered over a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements across the country.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a commercial truck accident, contact us today for a free consultation. We're here to help you understand your legal options and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.