Safely Sharing the Road with Large Trucks in New Jersey

Safely driving around large trucks is vitally important, considering the increased risk these massively huge vehicles present. Some of the guidelines included in driver safety near large trucks include:

• Keep a Safe Distance:  due to their very nature, large trucks, such as semi-tractor trailers, especially when they are fully loaded, can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and therefore cannot stop as quickly as a regular passenger vehicle. Never tailgate or cutoff a truck; do not quickly merge in front of a truck, or stop suddenly with a truck closely behind you.
• Avoid being in a trucker’s blind spot: there is a wise saying, “If you can’t see the truck’s mirrors, then the truck driver can’t see you.” When passing a truck, always pass on the left side.

Unfortunately, accidents involving large trucks and passenger vehicles happen each day, many of which result in serious injury or a fatality. Per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a “total of 3,986 people died in large truck crashes in 2016. Seventeen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 66 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 16 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 27 percent higher in 2016 than in 2009.”

Should you suffer a serious injury, or lose a loved one, involving a New Jersey truck accident, it is important to obtain legal guidance quickly to ensure your rights are protected.

Contact Us Now for a Free Consultation

The New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyers at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm have vast experience in handling truck accident cases. When these 18-wheeler crashes occur, they often involve serious injuries, or sadly, fatalities. Our attorneys will conduct a complete and thorough evaluation of your accident, including obtaining all police reports, photographs from the accident scene, witness statements and, if necessary, hire accident reconstruction experts to determine who was at fault.

Our New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys have over 25 years of experience handling all types of serious injury claims, and New Jersey Wrongful Death lawsuits. We have been privileged to represent thousands of clients throughout New Jersey. Todd J. Leonard is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, and has devoted his entire career to fighting for his clients’ rights.

If you or a family member have been seriously injured, or lost a loved one, involving a New Jersey truck accident, it is important to protect your rights. Contact us today for a free consultation at (973) 920-7900. There is never a fee unless you win. The Todd J. Leonard Law Firm has four convenient locations, including in Morris County, New Jersey – Denville (our main office), and Morristown, as well as offices in Newark and Woodbridge. Let us fight to obtain the justice you deserve!