When you notice an 18-wheeler on the road, your first thought may not be worrying about whether or not the driver becomes distracted by something inside their truck.
However, when a sudden vehicle crash occurs, then you may wonder how the truck near you did not stop in time. Learning more about how distractions can seriously affect a crash can help you understand what steps to take next.
Eyes looking away
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, one major part of safe driving is having your eyes locked onto other vehicles on the road. When a person looks down at their phone or another device, it leaves them open to missing an approaching vehicle or someone turning in front of them.
Since 18-wheeler trucks are so much larger and heavier than most cars, they take longer to come to a stop. This means that the driver needs to brake as soon as possible when an obstacle appears, which could be hard to do when the driver becomes distracted.
Mind wandering
Staying alert is an important part of operating a large truck since there are many situations that can cause a crash if someone’s mind drifts away from the road. A truck can gather speed and break the speed limit if the driver does not pay attention to how fast they are going.
An 18-wheeler could ram into a smaller parked car or harm a pedestrian without warning if the driver is daydreaming or not noticing what is going on around them. Staying aware of how truck accidents happen and why can help you if you have injuries from one.
