Trucking accidents

This is the thread that I have started, so don't be too mean.
After watching a commercial for a lawyers office specializing in tractor trailer/ car accidents, I am convinced there is a smear campaign against truck drivers.

The way the info is presented, it is made to sound like truckers are out to run you and me off the road whenever they can. They break it down to 90 truck/car accidents a day. I don't know if that is in Pennsylvania (where I live) or across the country, but not all of them can be the truckers fault. It just can't be.

Maybe a quarter to a third would be my guess as to how many you can blame the trucker for. I would be most of the poeple in the car were on the phone, or messing with the radio, or some other stupid thing. Driving a tractor trailer is in no way, shape or form similar to driving a car.

First off, your eight feet off the ground. The length of your vehicle is nearly 65 feet, conpared to a car at 10, 12 feet maybe? The total weight of tractor and fully loaded trailer: 80,000 pounds or more, compared to 2,000-3,000 for a car. You know how long it takes to stop that kind of mass at 65 mph?

The blind spots of a truck are wholly different also. If you can't see the mirrors of a truck, we can't see ya'll. You can't just look over your shoulder when entering the highway, you have to use your mirrors and trust your skills as a driver. You can't tailgate a truck with a load, either. Guess what? Can't see ya! If I have to stop quickly because of traffic, guess what, your gonna rear end me, and hard. I probably wouln't feel it.

So please, don't tailgate, pay attention, give us the space we need. And dont get pissed when I'm doing 25 up a grade when the speed limit is 55. I can't haul that kind of ass up a grade. Not at 40 ton.

Remember, without trucks and drivers, America comes to a halt. The clothes your wearing now, delived by a trucker. Your video games, contaminated Chinese toys, shoes, DVD's, all delivered by truckers. Not a day goes by where a trucker hasn't affected your life somehow. I'd bet money on that.

It's not always the truckers fault. Just use commen sense and think a bit when it comes to tractor trailers, M'kay? Sorry for any spelling, but am really tired and fixing to go to bed here soon.

Thanks for playing along.

I just bumped into this thread when I checked your profile, good post.

Lawyers are salesmen that use anything to make a buck, and trucks are a common fear for many drivers. You can bet truck vs car collisions aren't the major business they do.

You make a lot of good points for the cars out there.
They really do need to respect the larger vehicles both for their safety and the safety of others. If you tangle with a truck in your car, YOU'LL LOSE...........

The incredible cost of a single major collision is staggering and can easily run into the millions of dollars. And if you count in lost production of thousands of people delayed in traffic when a major artery is closed, it adds millions more to the real cost of an accident.

I think my favorite move I see cars make is that dive across a couple lanes to make an exit or turn, they pull right ahead of a truck and start hitting the brakes. Your lucky if they even used a turn signal, and they're bloody lucky they don't have a massive truck grill in their back seat.


I've had 3 collisions while driving a truck and every time it was a car hitting me.:shk: