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Car accidents and truck accidents share many similarities. Either may be caused by speeding, reckless driving or failing to keep a proper lookout for other vehicles on the roadway. There are, however, certain conditions inherent in the driving of a truck that distinguish truck accidents from other vehicle collisions.
For example, the braking system on a semi tractor-trailer is different from that of a car. Heavy trucks use compressed air to make the brakes work. Although air brakes are a safe way to stop large vehicles, it takes one-half second or more for the air to flow through the lines to the brakes, which impacts the stopping distance for the vehicle. The air brake lag distance at 55 mph on dry pavement adds about 32 feet to the stopping distance. A truck driver traveling 55 mph under good traction and brake conditions must contend with a total stopping distance of over 300 feet, a distance longer than a football field. The additional time required to slow or stop a large truck impacts the speed at which the truck may be safely driven and the awareness the truck driver must have for the condition of traffic on the roadway.
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