Driving a vehicle is complicated and potentially dangerous, requiring skill and lots of concentration. You not only have to worry about your own driving skills and things you encounter on the road, you also have to be concerned with how other drivers are operating their vehicles and that their vehicles have been serviced properly too.
When you drive a truck, you have additional responsibilities. If it is a personal vehicle, you need to worry about the added weight of the vehicle and the need for extra attention to the size and height of the vehicle. Commercial trucks have an added amount of weight and height and also may have more than one axle, complicating how you accelerate and stop the vehicle.
Most commercial truck drivers understand the seriousness of their jobs and take extra precautions for their safety and the safety of others with whom they share the road. And the companies for whom they work also put in the care and maintenance required to ensure the vehicles and drivers surpass any safety and good driving regulations required by law.
However, there are some truck drivers who do not take the same approach to conducting their business. They drive unsafely, do not pay attention well enough, do not get enough rest to remain 100% alert, and allow unsafe vehicles on the road. And many trucking companies do not enforce safety and efficiency rules strictly enough. As a result there are many truck accidents on US roads. In fact, each year there are hundreds of thousands of accidents with many of them causing bodily harm to other drivers and pedestrians.
Truck accidents occur nearly every hour in the US and many involve someone being injured. Because these vehicles are so heavy they can cause considerable damage to humans and other vehicles. If you are in sideswiped by a tractor trailer in Miami or in a truck accident in St. Louis it is important to understand the actions you need to take immediately.
Call 911
Use our phone or someone’s phone you have access to, to call 911 and get police and an ambulance on the scene. Do not wait to check and see if someone is hurt because every second counts and many injuries will not be visible to the naked eye. A paramedic is a professional who can properly assess the injuries of anyone who is hurt and get you if needed to a doctor. The police will make a written report that states what both parties are saying has happened, and what they observe as well. This report is often the most accurate.
Remain as calm as possible
Accidents are very upsetting causing some people to go into shock from just witnessing one. If you are in an accident with a truck however one important thing to do if you can, is to stay calm. This is important if you have been injured badly or slightly. Remaining calm if you are injured allows rescue personnel to focus on your injuries and for you to pay attention to what has happened and what is going on.
Get the truck driver’s details
This will include the truck driver’s name, company name phone numbers, office address, license, insurance information and license plate number.
Take photographs
Use your phone to take pictures of the driver, his vehicle, all of the damage to vehicles, property and people, where the vehicles ended up in relation to the road, the road from several angles, any witnesses willing to speak with you, and any injuries you have suffered.
Make an account of what happened
You should make a written account of what happened and a drawing of the intersection or area where the accident occurred. Take as many pictures as possible and get any eyewitness accounts. The goal is to get a complete version of the circumstances and the accident.
If you are injured in a truck accident, you need to call an attorney who specializes in getting settlements for truck accident victims.