Wide Turn & Swinging Turn Truck Accidents

Operating a semi-truck requires considerable experience and training to maintain safety on the road. When truck drivers lack experience or training, or fail to follow proper procedures, accidents are likely to cause serious injuries to other motorists. One common type of truck accident is caused by tractor trailers making wide or swinging turns into other lanes of traffic.

With their large cabs and long trailers—and sometimes even double trailers—semis take up a great deal of space on the road and have significant blind spots. When turning, truck drivers typically need to swing wide into other lanes of traffic, and sometimes, the driver may not see a car or motorcycle in an adjacent lane. This can cause the truck to hit the other vehicle, resulting in catastrophic accidents, including override and underride collisions. Override and underride accidents occur when a vehicle is forced underneath a semi-trailer.

Unfortunately, many wide turn and swinging turn truck accidents are caused by truck driver error or oversight, such as:

• Failure to check blind spots
• Failure to use or delay in using turn signals
• Inadequate driver training
• Driver inexperience
• Driver incompetence
• Distracted driving
• Driver fatigue
• Reckless driving
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Unfamiliarity with roads

Another cause of wide turn and swinging turn accidents is the failure to maintain a truck with properly functioning mirrors, mirror adjustments, turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights. If a truck’s mirrors and lights are not working, motorists are at an even greater risk of not being able to anticipate a truck’s movements. An overloaded truck can also prevent a truck driver from safely executing a wide or swinging turn.

In many cases, truck accidents have more than one cause. For example, a truck driver may have turned wide, and with an overloaded trailer, lost control of the truck. An experienced personal injury attorney can help determine the exact cause of an accident and who may be held responsible for resulting injuries and damages.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a semi-truck, you need an attorney on your side with experience in these types of cases. Contact the legal team at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation to talk about the facts of your case. You can set up an appointment online or give us a call at (404) 460-0101. There’s no fee for our services unless we recover compensation on your behalf, and we represent clients across the state of Georgia, including Macon, Savannah, Rome, Augusta, and Athens.