The percentage of semi truck accidents as a part of the statistics on injury and wrongful death accidents in the United States as a whole is relatively small in comparison.
The figures fall somewhere below ten percent and have come in at eight percent or less on occasion over the years. Now if you or a friend or loved one has been involved in a semi truck accident then that number looms large in your life - but overall, with millions of drivers taking to the road each day in a number of states of 'disrepair' (so to speak) one can breathe a heavy sigh of relief that there are not more crack-ups with semi trucks than what actually occur.
My advice to drivers who wish to avoid a property or personal injury accident with a semi truck is to adhere to the following bits of advice.
First, drive defensively - day and night. If you are following the rules of the road you have a better chance of reaching your destination safely. That means don't tailgate (especially semi trucks because the rule of the road is if you can't see the driver then he can't see you) or speed.
If you are passing a semi truck do not linger at its side but move quickly around it and then give yourself plenty of room before pulling back in front of it. Too, always be on guard for erratic driving in semi trucks. If you see one that does not seem to be following strict driving guidelines then notify your state highway patrol by either dialing 911 or a number seen posted on the sides of most highways. But please pull of the roadway in a safe place to make that call.
Greg Baumgartner is a Texas truck accident lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping injury victims seek civil justice. For a free no obligation consultation with a Texas personal injury lawyer about an injury or wrongful death claim call the Baumgartner Firm at 281-587-1111.
