Trucks serve as a danger to many other drivers on the road. In fact, it has reached a point where other drivers do not even want to share road space with trucks if they can help it.
There are several different reasons why this is the case. Each one contributes its own level of danger, culminating in a very risky vehicle.
The impact of a truck’s size
Consumer Reports discusses the dangers associated with big trucks. First, most of the risk itself comes from the sheer size and weight of trucks. The average 18-wheeler spans anywhere from 48 to 53 feet long and weighs up to 20 tons, or 40,000 pounds. Compare that to the size of an average van, with a length of about 17 to 20 feet and an average weight of 4,500 pounds.
Automatically, this means that more damage will occur with the involvement of a truck. These trucks can take out entire lanes of traffic in a crash, involving many cars in the wreck at once.
Most other vehicles do not stand a chance against a truck of this size, either. This means that the injuries sustained by drivers of other vehicles often range from severe to outright fatal.
Trucker drowsiness
On top of that, many truck drivers suffer from sleep deprivation and have a higher likelihood of falling asleep at the wheel. Even just a few seconds of inattentiveness can lead to disaster on the road. They also spend more time on the road in general, increasing the chance of a crash by sheer probability.
These are just some of the reasons why trucks pose such a danger and why other drivers should remain alert when sharing the road with them.