Special Michigan Truck Driving Situations

Many personal injury lawyers handling a truck accident injury or death case will be confronted with a defense of sudden emergency by the defense attorney handling the case for the truck driver or trucking company.   However, experienced attorneys who have handled these cases and are familiar with litigating truck accidents know that there are very few emergencies that are not preventable or predictable but for the truck driver’s negligence or carelessness.  Below is a review of some of the special weather and road conditions that can cause or contribute to a truck causing a motor vehicle accident in Michigan if the truck driver does not take some of the specific steps recommended below to reduce the likelihood of an injury accident occurring.

There are a number of unique Michigan driving conditions and situations that truck drivers must pay special caution to because of the dangers these can cause for drivers unfamiliar with Michigan roads or weather. Some of these special Michigan driving situations for trucks can include night driving, fog, winter driving, hot weather driving, railroad crossings and other hazards.

Night driving can be dangerous because of how much tougher it is for drivers to see and identify hazards as quickly as in the daylight. Thus, there is less time to respond.  Remember that a large, heavy truck responds very differently compared to an ordinary car.  An important reason for a CDL license is to try to remember these differences between how a car handles and stops compared to how a truck handles and stops when trying to avoid a truck accident.

General acuity and other visual functions tend to decline as illumination levels decrease.  In other words, people tend not to see as well when it gets darker out.  Using low beam headlights, a truck driver can see about 250 feet ahead. High beams will elevate them to approximately 350 to 500 feet ahead. Michigan truck drivers are required to use high beams in rural areas and when there is no oncoming traffic.  Attorneys handling truck accident cases in these rural areas of Michigan must understand how the failure to follow these regulations can contribute to cause a serious motor vehicle accident.

To reduce the effect of glare from oncoming traffic that will result in accidents, truck drivers are advised not to look directly at the bright lights, but rather, at the right side of the road.

Another dangerous situation that could lead to truck accidents or injuries in Michigan involves heavy fog, where truck drivers must realize that their vehicle or another's may be invisible. As such, Michigan truck drivers should pull off the road and waiting for the fog to clear, if at all possible. Otherwise, they should be extremely cautious when driving and also keep their headlights on low beam.  Attorneys handling truck accident cases should also review the CDL manual, which recommends drivers reduce their speed to 2/3 the posted speed limit when driving on wet roads.

Truck driving during a Michigan winter certainly calls for extra caution and attention to details to avoid Michigan semi truck accidents.  This starts before the truck driver gets behind the wheel of the semi truck, during the truck driver’s pre-trip inspection. Truck drivers in Michigan should make sure all engine fluids are at the proper levels, that there is enough anti-freeze in the radiator and that the air brake system is checked for moisture. Michigan truck drivers must also ensure that the defrosting and heating equipment is working properly, and that the mirrors, lights and reflectors are clean and operating properly. Also, the tires should have sufficient tread for traction and the tire chains must be the proper size to avoid possible preventable Michigan tractor trailer truck accidents.

To ensure the visibility necessary to avoid truck accidents, Michigan truck drivers should make frequent stops to clean off side windows and mirrors during inclement weather when ice and snow can build up. During this type of weather, Michigan truck drivers may find it necessary to make speed adjustments to avoid truck accidents, including increased stopping distances due to slippery roadways. Sometimes ice cannot be seen on the road, and accidents can occur if proper precautions are not taken. Therefore, caution is certainly called for on bridges, beneath underpasses, dips in the road, shaded areas and the lower sides of banked curves.

Changes in road conditions should always alert drivers. If there's any doubt, Michigan truck drivers should make periodic brake applications to test the surface traction to avoid potential accidents.

On the opposite end is hot weather driving.  Although less of a concern during most of a Michigan calendar year, there are some summer months where the special truck driving situations of summer driving will also need to be considered.  Truck drivers need to make sure they have proper air pressure to avoid the tires overheating, and leading to potential truck accidents. As the temperature rises, so does air pressure. Therefore, tires should be inspected every two hours or 100 miles when driving in very hot weather.

Additionally, the engine oil, coolant and belts and hoses need to be inspected. A loose belt can lead to overheating, and an accident. Michigan truck drivers should also pay attention to bleeding tar, which can make the roadway very slippery.

Although not as common as in other states, Michigan does still have some hilly terrain and mountain driving can be tricky. Gravity will slow a truck on an upgrade and speed one up on the downgrade. Therefore, the steeper and longer the grade, the lower the gear should be in order to counter the effects of gravity. Brakes also play a significant role in keeping the truck at a safe speed in negotiating the downgrade. However, truck drivers should recognize that overuse of the brakes can lead to a fatal truck accident or injury as a result of brake fade --where the brakes fail because of the heat generated from overuse.

On choosing the right gear, the general rule of thumb is to use one gear lower on the downgrade than was used on the upgrade. However, professional truck drivers should consider all factors, including the amount of load, grade, length of grade, visibility on the grade and road and brake conditions.

To help avoid Michigan tractor trailer truck accidents, it is important that truck drivers do not attempt to downshift after starting down a grade. In order to downshift, the speed of the truck must be reduced.

The truck brakes play a primary role in controlling the speed of a truck. If properly adjusted and maintained, then brakes will not overheat and all of the brakes will handle an equal share of the work, and accidents or injuries can be avoided.

If available, truck drivers should consider a retarding system such as a Jake brake to support the service brakes. In some cases, the retarding system will handle 90% of the work.

Truck drivers should also be aware of escape ramps built on steep mountain downgrades to stop runaway vehicles from causing fatal truck accidents or injuries. They are well marked and have signs advising truck drivers of their location.

Railroad crossings can also be very dangerous. Drivers should approach each one assuming a train is coming along. They should stop their vehicle, if necessary, no closer than 15 feet from the closest rail.

Michigan truck drivers should not rely on hearing the train horn. The noise in the cab can be very loud. Nor should drivers rely solely on the signals and gates. Michigan truck drivers should look carefully in all directions to make sure a train is not coming.

Upon crossing the tracks, especially double tracks which require extra care, Michigan truck drivers must make sure that all shifting is done before the first rail. Never should a driver shift gears in the middle of crossing railroad tracks.

Finally, hazards, be it road conditions or road users, demand extra alertness and caution to avoid accidents. This includes construction zones, pavement drop offs, and objects laying in the roadway and on/off ramps. The latter is particularly hazardous, and prone to truck accidents, because it requires braking and turning at the same time. This is difficult, especially when the situation is unexpected. Plus, the speeds posted on them are for automobiles and, therefore, may be too high for heavy vehicles such as semi trucks and tractor trailers.

Children, bicyclists, and disabled vehicles are also Michigan truck accidents waiting to happen. Therefore, Michigan truck drivers must be aware of their surroundings and drive in a proper manner.

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