Wide-turn truck accidents, though infrequent, can have devastating consequences due to their inherent danger. Wide-turn truck accidents occur when a large commercial truck, such as a tractor-trailer, turns right or left at an intersection or junction.
Due to their extended size and length, trucks require a significantly wider turning radius than smaller vehicles. This seemingly routine maneuver for a car driver can become life-threatening when a truck driver misjudges the space needed for the turn.
The factors behind wide-turn crashes
Due to their immense size and weight, trucks cannot make sharp turns as easily as smaller vehicles. This limitation makes it crucial for truck drivers to plan their turns meticulously and give ample signals to indicate their intentions. Commercial trucks have larger blind spots, or no-zones, which can obstruct a driver’s view of surrounding traffic. When a truck attempts to make a wide turn, nearby vehicles can unknowingly end up in these blind spots, leading to collisions during the turn.
High traffic volumes and poorly designed intersections can also exacerbate the risks associated with wide-turn truck accidents. Congested roads and inadequate signage may leave little room for error when a truck attempts a turn.
The grave consequences of wide-turn truck accidents
Collisions during wide turns can result in severe damage to smaller vehicles. The impact can lead to crushed panels, shattered windows and even structural deformities. In many cases, occupants of the smaller vehicles involved in these accidents suffer serious injuries or lose their lives. The force of impact from a commercial truck can lead to traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord damage and fatalities.
Wide-turn truck accidents present a unique set of challenges that demand proactive solutions. While truck drivers should pay extra caution on the roads, victims of wide turn accidents should also take legal action to help ensure these accidents aren’t normalized. If you have been injured in an accident involving a truck, contact a Denver truck accident injury attorney today at Flesch & Beck.
