The highways and back roads of California are inundated with traffic. You simply can’t get around it. A lot of the vehicles you see on the roads in California are tractor-trailers. These large trucks are vital to the state’s economy. The more you see them, the better the economy is performing. Despite this, these trucks can be quite a nuisance. Too many accidents involve tractor-trailers for various reasons, including distracted driving. Our truck crash lawyer in Los Angeles would like to share how you can spot the signs of a distracted truck driver in this post.
Long Pauses at Stop Signs and Traffic Lights
An all too common sign of a distracted driver is when you come across a truck at an intersection controlled by a stop sign or traffic light that pauses too long. For example, the truck in front of you is stopped but takes longer than three seconds to accelerate after the light changes from red to green.
It’s common for trucks and other vehicles at the top of an intersection to delay their start. It helps make sure that no vehicles are running the red light in the opposite direction. This typically takes roughly three seconds to ensure no vehicles are headed for the intersection. If the truck in front of you takes more than roughly five seconds to begin accelerating, it’s a good sign that the driver is distracted by something in the cab of the truck.
Frequent and Sudden Braking
When you are traveling behind a tractor-trailer take note of the braking patterns exhibited by the truck driver. If the truck exhibits frequent and sudden braking, no matter the traffic volume, it’s a strong sign that the driver is distracted.
The frequent braking typically occurs because the driver isn’t paying attention long enough to know what is happening in front of them. The sudden braking occurs because the driver looked up from a phone or map and noticed the traffic in front of them had stopped.
Headphones in the Driver’s Ears
Should you pass a truck driver who has headphones in their ears they are without a doubt distracted. Driving with headphones in can cause a driver to have difficulty hearing the sirens of emergency vehicles, and horns of other cars, and can lead the driver to focus on what is playing instead of the task at hand, which is safely operating the truck.
Veering Away from Center
The center of the road is marked with either single or double yellow lines. The side of the road is marked with a solid white line. If you encounter a track that veers away from the center yellow lines, either too far to the right or too far to the left, you are in the presence of a distracted driver. The same can be said when it comes to the truck operating too close or on top of the white line on the side of the road.
Were you injured in a truck accident? No matter the severity of your injury you should speak with our Los Angeles truck accident attorney about your injuries. Contact the office at 310-997-0904 to schedule a free consultation.
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