In many car accident cases, the following driver is responsible for a rear-end accident. If a truck driver doesn’t stop in time and rear-ends a passenger car at a red light, then the driver of that car may decide to sue the truck driver—and the company they work for—to seek compensation.
However, it’s important for truck drivers and company owners to remember that the driver isn’t always responsible for a rear-end crash. In fact, due to the size and weight of these vehicles, there are some inherent risks that need to be understood. There are certainly ways in which other drivers can cause these accidents.
Stopping distances
For example, remember that the stopping distance for a semi-truck may be nearly twice as long as for a passenger vehicle. Some studies claim that it takes around 316 feet to stop a passenger car, while it can take up to 525 feet to stop a semi-truck.
Sometimes, this leads to a situation where a driver puts themselves in a dangerous position. Say that traffic is approaching a red light. Knowing that they need 525 feet to stop, the truck driver begins braking early.
However, a passenger car in another lane is also slowing down. They see the growing gap in front of the semi-truck, and they merge into that lane. The truck driver is already hitting the brakes and trying to stop as fast as they can, but the car is now sitting in the space that they need to bring the truck to a halt. There may be nothing that the truck driver can do to avoid a rear-end accident because the passenger car essentially cut them off.
This is just one example of how to defend against allegations that a truck driver caused an accident in a personal injury case. Those involved must understand all their legal options.