When you are out on the open road, you may hear and notice the presence of a giant truck pulling up alongside your motorcycle.
While you are both traveling together, an accident could happen. There are several specific ways that reckless truck driving can put motorcyclists in life-threatening situations.
Ignoring blind spots
According to the United States Department of Transportation, truckers need to pay special attention to the back and sides of their vehicles. Since they sit up so high and cannot see what most people in cars or on motorcycles see, they are responsible for checking their blind spots when other vehicles approach.
Truckers who are planning to turn should signal and make their intentions known since these bigger vehicles cannot slow down to a stop in most situations. This means that if they make a mistake, they cannot correct it as quickly as you could on a motorcycle.
Looking away
Truckers on long, straight roads such as a highway could feel bored as they continue on their journey. Partway through a long trip, they could turn away from the road in front of them to check their phones or look out at a billboard to the side.
Since motorcycles take up less space on the road, truckers can easily miss them if they enter a lane or try to exit.
Underestimating their speed
Truckers who are overconfident and reckless may speed while driving in the rain or on unfamiliar roads. They may assume their years of experience mean they have sufficient enough skills to stop in time to avoid a collision.
After a catastrophic crash, you may notice some of these factors that led to a truck causing an accident.