Dangers of Tractor Trailers Compared to Smaller Passenger Vehicles

At Jones & Swanson, our attorneys specialize in representing victims of Georgia automobile crashes that were not their fault. Unfortunately, there are a large number of automobile wrecks in Georgia each year. The most dangerous type of collision involves large vehicles, such as tractor trailers or “big rigs”. These crashes are not always caused by the driver of the 18 wheeler, but when they are it is often due to the same mistakes made by other automobile drivers on a daily basis. Tractor trailer crashes tend to be more disastrous not because drivers performed a more perilous action than other drivers, but because their vehicles are so much heavier and larger than other vehicles on Georgia roadways.

In comparison to other states, Georgia ranks in the top five for the high number of 18 wheeler crashes that occur here. The Georgia Department of Transportation reports that out of every six automobile crash fatalities in Georgia, one involves a big rig.

Just last weekend, a Marietta man lost his life in an automobile-tractor trailer crash that occurred on I-85 in Suwanee. The tractor trailer driver attempted to change lanes without signaling, forcing a small Toyota Camry vehicle off the road. The driver of the small car lost control and struck the trailer, leading to his eventual wrongful death. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of both parties involved in this crash.

Because we see so many victims and families who lost loved ones in automobile crashes, the attorneys and staff at Jones & Swanson strive to educate Georgia drivers on road safety. It is important that drivers of vehicles, whether small automobiles or large tractor trailers, all follow the general rules of the road so that others are not endangered. Operators of motor vehicles should not speed, drive recklessly or aggressively, or drive while distracted by telephones or other items inside the vehicle. Before making a turn or lane change, the law requires drivers to signal so that others on the road can prepare for the movement. These hazardous driving habits, as well as many others, not only endanger your life, but the lives of those in vehicles and on roadways around you as well.

For more information on what to do if your loved one is injured in a Georgia automobile crash due to another driver’s failure to follow the rules of the road, contact Attorney Andrew Jones today.