To give an example of this – a semi truck, carrying a full load and moving at a rate of 55 mph on a dry, flat road will take about the length of a football field before coming to a full stop after braking.

Turning a Tractor Trailer
Tractor trailer trucks will also require wide turns due to vehicle length. Therefore, care must be taken when observing a turn signal on an 18-wheeler. Another major hazard can occur when a tire blows out on a tractor trailer vehicle. The tires on a large truck receive a lot of wear, due to the heavy payloads that the vehicle carries. The pieces of a blown truck tire can act like cannon-fired shells, causing considerable damage.

Fatalities Statistics
In 2003, alone, there were a total number of 58,512 U.S. automotive accidents involving fatalities. Of these, 4,669 were fatal large truck accidents (NCSA).

Statistics show that passenger vehicles are less likely to cause a fatal multi-vehicle accident than a large truck. 68% of these fatal truck accidents occurred in rural areas during daylight hours (66%) and during weekdays (78%).

Alcohol and drugs only accounted for 1% of the fatalities, on the part of the semi truck drivers, while other drivers showed a much higher rate (22% for passenger vehicle drivers and 29% for motorcyclists).

This is in contrast to speeding issues. Here, 27% of large truck drivers, that were involved in fatal accidents, had a least one prior speeding conviction. With passenger vehicle drivers, the rate was 19%.

Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

For more on tractor trailer accidents, visit Attorney Kristopher Barber at The Barber Law Firm, located in Dallas, Texas.