Tractor Trailer’s Unsafe Lane Change Causes Truck Accident In Missouri
Ryan Bradley | January 1, 2010 | Tractor Trailer Crash \ Truck Accident
A Nebraska truck driver caused a St. Charles Missouri truck accident when he slammed into a car while changing lanes. Truck driver Rand S. Peterson of Niobrara, Nebraska drove a 1997 International Tractor Trailer southbound on highway 61 early Friday morning. The St. Charles Missouri trucking accident occurred when Peterson attempted to change lanes and crashed into the rear of a 1999 Ford Contour driven by David C. Spaulding of Moscow Mills, Missouri. After impact, Spaulding’s car spun out and off the roadway. The car came to rest in a ditch. Spaulding was transported to St. Joseph West Hospital in Lake St. Louis by St. Charles County Ambulance. His car was totaled, while the tractor trailer only sustained minor damage.
Tractor trailers become particularly dangerous to other drivers while changing lanes. Truck drivers must pay attention while changing lanes because the size and height of their tractor trailers reduce visibility. Negligent truck drivers may attempt to change lanes without exercising due care to make sure no other vehicle is in their blind spot. When a tractor trailer changes lanes, the potential for a St. Charles Missouri truck accident is high.
When truck drivers fail to monitor their surroundings before changing lanes, they may easily miss the presence of another vehicle. Tractor trailers provide lesser visibility for their drivers because they have large blind spots. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) refers to tractor trailer blind spots as “No-Zones” to discourage motorists from driving within them.
According to the FMCSA, cars driving in a No-Zone virtually disappear from the perspective of a truck driver. Most motorists are aware that tractor trailers and other vehicles have blind spots on the side. Driving in the side blind spot of any vehicle increases the likelihood of a Missouri side impact car accident. However, the FMCSA designates the area in front of and behind a tractor trailer as a No-Zone as well. If a tractor trailer appears to be changing lanes behind or in front of your vehicle, putting ample distance between the tractor trailer and your vehicle is advised to avoid a Missouri rear end truck accident.
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