Georgia Truck Accident Lawyers Blog

Two tractor-trailers collided earlier this month while traveling northbound on I-75 in Gordon County, reported CBS Atlanta. The highway was shut down for nearly three hours, forcing drivers to find alternate routes.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that America's roads see more than 500,000 tractor-trailer accidents each year.

Atlanta trucking accident lawyers urge you to practice safe driving to avoid a potentially deadly Georgia trucking accident. In accidents involving a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle it is more likely that the occupants of the smaller vehicle will sustain more serious injuries than that of the larger vehicle. Figure a fully-loaded tractor-trailer weighs 80,000 pounds -- about 20 times the weight of a passenger vehicle. The heavier vehicle typically takes three times longer to stop.

It is also common for tractor-trailer accidents to occur because of driver fatigue, dangerous roads, defective equipment and failure to maintain current inspection standards. Many times the company employing the truck driver will try to dispute whose insurance will provide proper compensation for the victim. By working with an experienced truck accident lawyer, victims can fight to ensuring that their rights are properly protected.

It can be difficult to prevent a fatal tractor-trailer accident, but traffic experts offer passenger-vehicle drivers critical tips to help safeguard themselves:

-Avoid a truck's blind spots. Remember that if you can't see the driver, they cannot see you.

-If you need to stop on the highway make sure to pull completely off the road. Remember that tractor-trailers are large vehicles and take up much of the lane.

-Understand the limitations of a truck driver. It is especially important to remember not to tailgate. It is extremely dangerous, especially when driving near larger vehicles.

-Treat trucks differently than you would other drivers.