When you look at the back of most 18-wheelers, you will see a sign warning you that the truck makes very wide turns. This is an effort to prevent accidents, as most people have no experience driving a truck and may underestimate just how wide that turn has to be.
This can be a problem when trucks are turning both left and right, and it’s important to consider how it may cause accidents.
The right turn
First and foremost, in a right turn, the truck likely has to swing wide to the left so that the trailer can actually make it around the corner. If the truck then has to wait at a red light, drivers sometimes think that that empty space is a lane and that the truck is going straight. But, if you drive up in that space and the truck still turns, that trailer is going to swing through the space and crush your vehicle.
The left turn
The truck may need to swing wide to the right to make the left turn. You might assume the furthest left lane is free, but the trucker may have pulled out of it on purpose before pulling back across it. Truck drivers will usually try to stop and allow you to back up, but this can cause serious accidents, even at low speeds.
18-wheeler accidents are very dangerous because of the size and weight of the vehicles, and they often lead to severe injuries. If you’ve been injured in one of these accidents, you must know how to seek financial compensation.