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The size of a truck’s trailer requires tractor trailers to make wide turns in order to avoid hitting sidewalks, light poles, pedestrians, and other features. Wide turn truck accidents can occur if a truck driver misjudges how much space he or she will need in order to make a wide turn. Accidents can also occur if passenger vehicles try to squeeze between the truck and the curb. Passenger vehicles can find themselves wedged in the space between the truck and the curb, and cars can get crushed if truck drivers fail to take precautions before, during, and after making a wide turn. Passenger vehicle drivers are not always good at judging how much space a truck driver might need to perform a turn. Truck drivers therefore have an added responsibility to execute these turns properly and to take steps to prevent drivers from navigating into the spaces where they can get “squeezed.”
Was it the fault of a driver who squeezed between the truck and the curb, or was it the fault of the truck driver who may not have recognized that a car was in his or her blind spot? The Cooper Law Firm are wide turn truck accident lawyers in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson, Paris, and Marshall, Texas who may be able to help you make a claim with insurance companies, negligent parties, and other stakeholders if you’ve been hurt in a truck accident in Texas.
Why do Wide Turn Accidents Occur?
Trucks have a large turning radius, that may require drivers to cross into oncoming traffic in order to give themselves the turning radius they need to perform the maneuver. When truck drivers perform these maneuvers, they must either give themselves sufficient space to perform the turn and may need to employ lookouts to perform the turn safely. Sometimes truck drivers get lost on city streets where they should not be and should not be turning. Other times truck drivers may attempt to perform this maneuver without proper support or lookouts. Regardless, truck drivers have a responsibility to prevent accidents and to anticipate that drivers may try to navigate around their slow-moving wide-turning truck.
Wide turn accidents can occur if a truck driver fails to account for passing vehicles when he or she makes a wide turn in traffic. The right turn squeeze happens when a passenger vehicle attempts to pass a truck on the right side while the truck is attempting a right turn. Truck drivers are often cited as being at fault for these accidents, because truck drivers have an added responsibility to understand the risks that their vehicle can pose to others around them. Sometimes drivers may make the turn too wide, or they may fail to signal and notify other drivers that they are attempting the maneuver. Passenger vehicle drivers may also not understand the turning radius a truck requires and may misjudge what they can and cannot do around a turning truck. This is why a truck driver needs to be extra conscientious in city driving.
Truck drivers can prevent accidents during right turns by blocking off the right side of the truck when making the turn. This requires truck drivers to perform the turn with precision and skill. A truck driver could be held responsible for a right turn accident if he or she fails to block off this entry. Of course, if the truck driver cuts too close to the curb, this can lead to risks to pedestrians, bikers, and to city lights and signals, so a truck driver is threading a very fine line when making right hand turns in city traffic. Truck drivers also have a responsibility to check their mirrors, make a turn into the proper lane as quickly as possible, and make the turn without crossing into oncoming traffic.
When truck drivers fail to address these risks, accidents can happen. If you or a loved one were hurt by a truck driver performing a wide turn, you may be entitled to seek damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The Cooper Law Firm are truck accident lawyers in Texas who may be able to help you.
Seek Compensation for Your Truck Accident Losses in Texas
The Cooper Law Firm are truck accident attorneys in Texas who may be able to assist you with making a claim for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages stemming from a wide turn truck accident. However, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim under the law. Contact the Cooper Law Firm in Texas today to learn more about your rights and options under the law and to make a claim within the statute of limitations for truck accident claims.
