When you’re driving around large vehicles, such as semi-trucks, you’re probably very conscious of the size difference compared to your own car. A semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, in some cases, which can be 50 times as much as a passenger car.
You can clearly see how this weight difference would be problematic if you were involved in an accident, as you would be more likely to be injured. But the truth is that the weight difference itself can also be a reason that the accident occurs in the first place.
For instance, because of their size and weight, trucks take more than 500 feet to come to a stop. Passenger cars can usually do it in about half that. If truck drivers fail to brake at the appropriate time, they can quickly run out of distance and find themselves involved in devastating rear-end accidents.
Why would this happen?
All it takes is a moment of inattention to cause a wreck.
This is why truck drivers have federal regulations saying that they’re not supposed to use hand-held phones while they drive. If a driver decides to check their text messages or looks down to see a notification that came in, that action takes their attention away from the road. This can cause them to move past “the point of no return” when it comes to braking, and the driver simply won’t be able to stop the truck in time.
If you do get injured in a rear-end accident caused by a truck driver, you absolutely need to know about your options to seek financial compensation for your injuries and other costs.