Did you know that snowy, slushy, or icy road conditions contribute to nearly 24% of weather-related vehicle crashes in the U.S. annually? Over 70% of the nation’s roads are in snowy regions and when icy conditions arise, these roads become significantly more dangerous. These hazardous conditions often lead to accidents involving large trucks, whose massive size and weight make them particularly dangerous on roads where conditions are compromised due to wintry weather.
The impact of a truck accident reaches far beyond those directly involved, affecting other road users, disrupting traffic flow, and impacting entire communities. While trucks play a vital role in keeping our economy moving, their presence on the road during winter poses additional, unique safety challenges.
By understanding the risks and responsibilities of winter truck safety, we can work together to create safer roads for everyone, regardless of the season.
Referrals & Co-Counsel
Involved in a Crash?
No other law firm knows trucks quite like us. Our trucking law expertise and trial experience allow us to win multi-million-dollar results year after year.
Our team of truck accident attorneys works tirelessly to help your family find justice in the wake of a catastrophic truck crash.
Referrals & Co-Counsel
No other law firm knows trucks quite like us. Our trucking law expertise and trial experience allow us to win multi-million-dollar results year after year.
Involved in a Crash?
Our team of truck accident attorneys works tirelessly to help your family find justice in the wake of a catastrophic truck crash.
The Unique Challenges of Winter Driving for Trucks
Winter weather doesn't just make driving more difficult for drivers, it transforms routine truck routes into high-stakes journeys. Due to their massive size and weight, trucks are more challenging to stop, steer, and maneuver than smaller vehicles, requiring more skill and precision from truck drivers. Add in snow, ice, and reduced visibility, and these challenges make trips more dangerous for its users --not just the tractor-trailer's driver.
Understanding the specific hazards trucks face in winter can help all road users stay safe.
Increased Stopping Distances
Fully loaded trucks already require much longer distances to stop than passenger vehicles. On icy or snowy roads, stopping distances dramatically increase, resulting in a higher likelihood of rear-end collisions, especially in areas of heavy traffic or sudden stopping situations.
Increased Stopping Distances
Fully loaded trucks already require much longer distances to stop than passenger vehicles. On icy or snowy roads, stopping distances dramatically increase, resulting in a higher likelihood of rear-end collisions, especially in areas of heavy traffic or sudden stopping situations.
Reduced Visibility
Winter weather can bring blinding snowstorms, thick fog, and decreased hours of daylight, all of which can lead to lower visibility on the roads. If you're in a truck or other large vehicle, smaller vehicles, road hazards, and even the center line may be more difficult to see.
Jackknifing Risks
A semi-truck’s trailer can lose traction, skidding out of alignment with the cab because of slippery conditions.
This is known as jackknifing and often leads to crashes that span and block multiple lanes, posing serious risks to nearby vehicles.
Maneuvering Challenges
During winter, navigating sharp turns, steep inclines, or narrow roads can present significant challenges for large trucks. Add in snow and ice and these maneuvers become even more complicated, leading to an increased risk of rollovers, side-impact collisions, or getting stuck in dangerous spots.
Why You Should Care: The Impact on Public Safety
Truck safety is not just confined to the trucking industry - it is a public safety priority. When we consider the huge disparity in size between tractor-trailers and passenger vehicles, size alone puts passenger vehicles at a critical disadvantage in crashes with trucks. Considering that large trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, the potential for fatalities or catastrophic injuries is critically higher.
Additionally, accidents in winter often involve multiple vehicles, putting dozens of lives at risk in one single incident. These multi-vehicle pileups can be the source of serious traffic and emergency delays. A jackknifed truck, multi-vehicle pileup, or any truck crash incident can block multiple lanes of traffic for hours - at times delaying emergency responders - and causing traffic disruptions for miles.
Beyond the crash itself, these accidents involving large trucks often leave those burdened with heavy emotional and financial tolls. Victims of these truck crashes are often faced with overwhelming medical or funeral expenses, property damage, and emotional trauma.
Crash. Not Accident.
The word “accident” is often used to describe devastating truck crashes. Many people in need of legal help will search for a “truck accident lawyer near me” or the “best truck accident attorney”. We even use "accident" in our site name.
However, most truck “accidents” are not accidents at all.
Truck crashes are often caused by distracted, fatigued, poorly trained, or downright dangerous truck drivers and/or the unsafe business practices of the trucking companies and brokers that hired them. Every semi-truck accident lawyer at The Law Firm for Truck Safety is committed to helping those who have been irreparably harmed in commercial vehicle crashes and providing education to the public that crashes are not accidents.
Federal Regulations on Winter Truck Safety
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) which are set forth by The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)The U.S. federal agency that regulates the trucking industry., are minimum safety standards commercial motor vehicles must comply with.
Federal regulation FMCSR § 392.14 relates specifically to weather-related driving conditions:
Extreme caution in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle shall be exercised when hazardous conditions, such as those caused by snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, or smoke, adversely affect visibility or traction. Speed shall be reduced when such conditions exist. If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the operation of the commercial motor vehicle shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until the commercial motor vehicle can be safely operated. Whenever compliance with the foregoing provisions of this rule increases hazard to passengers, the commercial motor vehicle may be operated to the nearest point at which the safety of passengers is assured.
By holding truck drivers accountable for safe driving in hazardous conditions, these regulations aim to protect everyone on the road. Following these regulations reduces the risk of accidents that can put truck drivers and others in danger. While the FMCSRs are regulations specifically for commercial motor vehicles, they benefit all road users by keeping safety as a priority, in snow, rain, or shine.
What Truck Drivers Should Be Doing
In winter conditions, truck drivers carry a significant responsibility for contributing to safe roadways.
By practicing preparedness and awareness, truck drivers can maintain best practices that help reduce risks.
- Avoid Fatigue: Truck driver fatigue can impair reaction times, which is especially dangerous when navigating icy or snowy roads. Adequate rest is key to ensuring drivers are best prepared for any season on the road, particularly winter.
- Avoid Fatigue: Truck driver fatigue can impair reaction times, which is especially dangerous when navigating icy or snowy roads. Adequate rest is key to ensuring drivers are best prepared for any season on the road, particularly winter.
- Adjust Driving Techniques: Truckers should reduce speed, maintain longer following distances, and avoid sudden movements.
- Know When to Stop: Drivers must recognize when conditions are too dangerous to continue and pull over until it is safe. No other factors, such as drivers attempting to cover more miles for compensation, should outweigh the importance of prioritizing safety for themselves and others.
- Vehicle Maintenance: Ensuring tires, brakes, lights, and wipers are in peak condition is essential for safe winter driving.
Did You Know?
A single snowplow can clear over 14,000 tons of snow in one winter season. These commercial vehicles play a critical role in snow removal throughout the season, helping transform dangerous winter conditions into safer roadways for everyone.
Involved in a Winter Truck Accident?
Truck accidents can be extremely overwhelming, add in frigid temperatures and compromising road situations, and the overwhelm can multiply. However, knowing what to do after a winter truck crash in the moment, can make a difference.
Ensure Immediate Safety
If you are involved in a truck accident, move to a safe location if possible, ensuring you are not exposed to any additional dangers. If functional, turn on the hazard lights in your vehicle. Call 911 and alert them of the situation.
Ensure Immediate Safety
If you are involved in a truck accident, move to a safe location if possible, ensuring you are not exposed to any additional dangers. If functional, turn on the hazard lights in your vehicle. Call 911 and alert them of the situation.
Document the Scene and Gather Information
If you are able and when it is safe to do so, documenting the scene is extremely important. Take photos of road conditions, vehicle damage, and any visible injuries. Gathering information from others involved in the crash is important as well.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if injuries seem minor at first, it is highly advisable to get evaluated by a medical professional regardless. At times, injuries may not present immediately, or you may be unaware of your injuries due to the initial shock of being involved in a truck crash.
Contact a Truck Accident Attorney
Reaching out to an attorney who solely focuses on truck accidents will ensure complete justice is served. They will help uncover and bring to light factors that may have contributed to the crash beyond the weather, such as truck driver fatigue, distracted driving, and other common safety issues.
A truck accident firm like The Law Firm for Truck Safety will identify all negligent parties, holding them accountable for their actions; while ensuring you receive the justice you deserve for all the ways you were harmed.
Advocating for Safer Roads
Creating safer roads is a shared responsibility that requires action from drivers, regulatory bodies, and the trucking industry. Stricter enforcement of safety regulations ensures truck drivers follow essential winter protocols. This reduces risks for everyone traveling on our roads.
Public awareness campaigns also play a key role by educating drivers on how to navigate winter conditions safely, which improves overall road responsibility.
The more aware drivers are of the challenges large trucks face in winter, the safer we all will be. Additionally, reporting unsafe driving behaviors, especially in hazardous conditions, helps authorities take immediate action and prevent accidents.
Together, these efforts promote safer roads, benefiting all road users. Through collective vigilance and responsibility, we can work together to increase the likelihood that everyone is arriving at their destinations safely year-round.
Winter Truck Safety: Protecting All Drivers on Hazardous Roads
Winter truck safety is crucial for everyone on the road, as hazardous conditions can not only increase the risk or truck-related accidents. These conditions also highlight the need for strict safety protocols, public awareness, and responsible driving from truck and passenger vehicle drivers.
At The Law Firm for Truck Safety, we are dedicated to supporting victims of truck accidents and advocating for stronger safety practices.
If you have been involved in a truck accident, we are here to help you seek the justice you deserve. Contact our experienced truck accident lawyers today.
