Macon Personal Injury Blog

What can you do to prevent a car-truck accident?

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Friday, November 22, 2019.

You know that commercial truck drivers often make mistakes that put others at risk. From driving drowsy to speeding, you have many concerns when you find yourself in close proximity to these vehicles.

While you can't control the decisions that truckers make, you can adjust your driving style to enhance your safety. Here are the types of steps you can take to prevent a car-truck accident:

Make yourself visible: If a trucker doesn't see you, they're more likely to make a move that puts your safety at risk. Truckers have multiple blind spots, such as the area directly next to and behind their vehicle.
Obey the rules of the road: For example, don't pass a slow-moving truck in the right lane. Also, leave enough space when changing lanes in front of a truck. And of course, drive defensively, not aggressively.
Be careful when merging: Many car-truck accidents happen at merge points, often as the result of the merging vehicle misjudging speed and distance. A fast-moving truck is unable to slow down quickly, so pulling in front of one at a merge point increases the risk of a rear-end collision.
Getting too close to a truck in a city setting: For example, commercial trucks need a lot of space to make right-hand turns in tight spaces. So, if you get too close to a truck in this situation, it may sideswipe you when making a turn.
Get all the way off the road: This has nothing to do with how you drive, and everything to do with what happens when you pull to the shoulder of the highway. Even though truckers are supposed to move over if a vehicle is pulled to the shoulder, it's not always possible. Leave as much space as you can between your vehicle and the roadway.

Distracted truck drivers are a risk to others on the roads

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Friday, October 25, 2019.

Distractions significantly increase a person's risk of getting into a traffic accident. No one should be driving while distracted, but the truth is that many people do every day. Among these people are those who drive commercial vehicles, like buses and 18-wheelers.

Distractions take your attention away from the road. They make you less likely to be able to react quickly and prevent you from making simple changes in your driving that could keep you on the road or in your lane.

Statistics show an increase in truck crashes in America

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Wednesday, October 23, 2019.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration helps regulate the trucks on the roads today as well as the laws that apply to these vehicles and their drivers. Each year, the administration releases information about the number of large truck and bus crashes, so that it can get a better idea of why accidents are happening and how they can be stopped.

The most recent data is from 2017. In that study, it was shown that 4,657 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes. There were 102,973 trucks involved in crashes that required at least one vehicle to be towed from the scene. Another 56,422 trucks were involved in crashes that resulted in injuries.

Crucial evidence to collect after a truck accident

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm posted in truck accidents on Tuesday, October 1, 2019.

Crashes involving commercial-sized trucks have the potential to be catastrophic. Victims can suffer permanent, severe injuries; some do not survive the crash. Considering how much damage can be done in these accidents, it is crucial to determine what happened and who is liable when they occur.

To do this, it will be critical to collect as much evidence as possible.

Sleeping in a truck: Anti-fatigue tips for truckers

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Friday, September 27, 2019.

Truck driver fatigue is a serious issue that drivers simply can't ignore. It causes accidents. It takes lives. It puts innocent people in the hospital.

Of course, truckers do have to follow strict regulations about time off to make sure they don't push too hard and stay on the road too long, making fatigue more likely. That time is intended for sleep, but that's not always as easy as it should be.

With teen driver week some tips for parents—and teens

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Friday, September 13, 2019.

As teen driver week (October 21 through the 28th) comes to a close safety advocate groups are urging both parents and new teen drivers to keep basic automobile safety in mind, especially as more than 40% of parents do not discuss safe driving on a regular basis, according to a recent article by the Insurance Journal.

Now, Allstate, which sponsored the survey revealing the 40% statistic, is urging teens to “flip the script” and approach their parents with a conversation about safety, the rules of the road, and general motor vehicle awareness.

3 common causes of semitruck collisions

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Thursday, August 29, 2019.

If you are like most drivers in the Macon area you have probably found yourself sharing the road with a semitruck hauling everything from timber to road construction materials and even hazardous chemicals. Like the other drivers, you more than likely felt a little nervous the last time you found yourself close to a semi. The nervousness you feel around these vehicles probably causes you to pay extra attention to what is going on around you.

Staying alert and putting as much distance as possible between you and the semi are two of the best things you can do to stay safe while sharing the road with a large commercial truck. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid every truck accident no matter how careful you are.

Medical exams are a must for commercial drivers

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Monday, August 26, 2019.

Commercial motor vehicle drivers need to be in good health. If they have a medical emergency behind the wheel, then there is a chance that they could hurt themselves or others. Every time a commercial driver gets behind the wheel, they need to know that they're in the best possible shape to perform the job.

One thing that drivers should be aware of is that certain medications can disqualify them from driving. For example, a driver would never be allowed to take a controlled substance or prescription medication without a prescription from a medical provider and continue to drive. Taking illicit drugs, while illegal, is also extremely dangerous behind the wheel of such a heavy vehicle. The FMCSA also disqualifies drivers who take anti-seizure medications, with an exception potentially being available for those who have a prescribing doctor who explains that they are safe to drive.

Are fatigued truckers complying with regulations?

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Thursday, July 25, 2019.

Truckers need to be able to make split-second decisions as they are driving. Many factors can impact their ability to do this. Fatigue is one factor, and it is fully preventable. One issue that some truckers face is that the trucking company they work for has such tight deadlines that they don't feel able to stop and rest when they need to. This can lead to them turning to other methods to try to stay awake.

There aren't any ways to battle fatigue in the long term except getting sleep. Things like drinking coffee or rolling the windows down might work temporarily, but this will be short lived. In order to help combat the issue of drowsy trucking, the federal government has instituted the Hours of Service regulations, which force truckers to stop driving after a predetermined period. It also sets minimum 10-hour off-duty requirements to ensure that they are getting the opportunity to sleep.

Remember these tips when sharing the road with a semitruck

On behalf of McArthur Law Firm on Friday, July 5, 2019.

If you are like most drivers in Macon, you have probably found yourself sharing the road with a semitruck. And, like those other drivers, you more than likely feel at least a little nervous when in such close proximity to one of those large trucks. This feeling is not unusual and occurs for good cause: An accident with a semi can have catastrophic results.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce your stress when driving near semis and the chance of an accident. Here are a few things you should know when sharing the road with a semitruck.