New Haven Area Truck Accident Details Dangers Of Trucks NOT On The Highway

A recent New Haven area truck accident caused a road in Clinton, Connecticut to be shutdown and Eversource to investigate the accident and mobilize to turn power back on to area residents who lost it when the truck spun out of control and sideswiped a number of utility poles. Drivers on the road were lucky that the crash did not involve any other motorists who were sharing the road at the time.

Truck accidents on non-highways are rare, but they do occur and when we are sharing side roads with larger vehicles it is important to understand the dangers of these vehicles being on these more narrow, slower traveling roads. Of course two-axle vehicles can certainly share the road with these much larger vehicles, but there needs to be some understanding of the dangers that can be caused by sharing this space with each other.

In order to keep yourself and your passengers safe when sharing the road with these tractor trailer trucks there are some steps you can take as they pass by that will keep you out of harm’s way.

Step #1: Do not pass these vehicles. Regardless of how slowly they are going you should never pass one of these giant vehicles when you are following them on a one-lane road. The passing area is too large and could cause you to be put into a precarious situation with on-coming traffic not being able to see you until it is too late.

Step #2: Keep a safe distance when traveling behind one of these vehicles. Your follow distance should give you enough time to come to a complete stop at a moment’s notice. When these vehicles stop they require a lot of space to come to a complete stop and if they have to hit their brakes hard you do not want to be close to them as the movements of the vehicles can become unpredictable and you could be put at risk of getting into an accident.

Step #3: Allow these vehicles the appropriate time to turn at intersections. The turning radius for a tractor trailer truck is significantly wider then that of a passenger vehicle so these vehicles need to be given additional space to make the turn and not collide with on-coming traffic. If you are not giving the tractor trailer trucks enough space to turn you could get into an accident and become endangered.

There are dangers associated with sharing the road with tractor trailer trucks whether your interactions are with them on major highways or side streets. There are some side streets that these vehicles are not allowed to be a part of the flow of traffic and if you become aware of a tractor trailer truck that is illegally travelling on a particular road, you should instantly report it to the authorities. If you become involved in a New Haven truck accident along a side street you should report it to the authorities and seek medical attention as needed.

Contact our office if you’ve been involved in an accident and are injured, one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.