Any traffic accident is bad news, but the consequences can be especially serious when a commercial truck is involved. Because trucks are heavy and can be hard to manuever, truck accidents often cause injury or even death. Would you be surprised to hear that many truck accidents are the fault of people driving cars? An article in CCJ Digital cites the American Truckers Association as stating that 80 percent of trucking accidents are caused by people driving cars. Here are 5 things non-truck drivers do that cause truck accidents. 

Change Lanes Too Quickly

Some drivers like to squeeze themselves into small spaces in order to be in the fastest lane, and they may change lanes quickly and with little or no notice to other traffic. This is an especially bad move to make in front of a truck because heavy trucks cannot stop as efficiently as cars can. 

Drive in the Blind Spot

Trucks often have a large space on ether side where drivers cannot see what is next to them. Car drivers who cruise along in these areas are risking having a truck change lanes right into them. 

Speeding Up to Get in Front

Many drivers don't want to drive behind a truck because they can be slow at traffic lights and reduce a driver's ability to see what is down the road. To avoid getting stuck behind a truck, drivers will often speed up the side and then cut in front when trucks are merging into traffic. This is a dangerous tactic that can cause a car to be smashed by a truck. 

Driving to the Right of a Turning Truck

Many large trucks have signs on the back warning drivers not to position themselves directly to the right of a turning truck. This is because trucks make wide turns, and the back end of the truck will drift into that space while the truck is making a right turn. The truck driver often cannot see this space and will slam into a car that is sitting there. 

Turning Left in Front of an Oncoming Truck

Car drivers are often unable to tell how fast a truck is going when the truck is coming toward them. Car drivers often incorrectly assume that trucks are slow and may also be unaware that a truck can be hard to stop quickly. These mistakes in judgement can cause a car driver to turn left in front of an oncoming truck that does not have time to stop. 

Accidents involving large trucks are often the fault of other drivers sharing the road with truckers. Car drivers must remember to be patient and cautious when driving near large trucks. 

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