A wide right turn is one of the most dangerous maneuvers a truck driver can make. Because a trailer’s rear wheels track a tighter path than the cab, drivers often swing left before turning right. If they don’t, the trailer will run over a curb or anything in the inside lane.
However, swinging left creates its own danger: drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians who pull alongside or behind the truck may not realize it’s about to cut back across that lane. All too often, haste, inattention, and misjudgment of space turn this maneuver into a serious, sometimes fatal, collision.
At D. Miller & Associates, we are familiar with the mechanics behind wide-turn truck accidents and the negligence that often causes them. If you were injured in one, an experienced Texas truck accident attorney at our firm can uncover the facts of your case and fight for compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Why Trucks Must Make Wide Turns
Wide turns are a necessary consequence of a truck’s size and limited turning radius. As noted, the trailer’s rear wheels track a tighter arc than the cab, following a path closer to the inside of the turn.
To keep the trailer from riding up over a curb, sidewalk, light pole, or other fixed object on the right, the driver has to swing the entire rig left before turning right, temporarily occupying space in the oncoming or adjacent lane.
When performed correctly, this maneuver is routine. When a truck driver negligently executes this maneuver, the result can be serious injuries to the driver and to other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians nearby.
When Negligence Makes a Wide Turn Dangerous
Truck driver negligence causes wide-turn truck accidents in several ways, including:
Failure to Check Blind Spots
Large trucks have significant blind spots on either side, and the blind spot on the right is especially large. A driver who fails to thoroughly check mirrors and blind spots before a wide turn may collide with nearby vehicles or trap them beneath the trailer.
Improper Use of Turn Signals
Truck drivers should provide adequate warning before beginning a wide-turn maneuver. Failing to signal or signaling too late can leave surrounding motorists unaware of the driver’s intentions, increasing the risk that a nearby vehicle attempts to pass or hold its position in the truck’s path.
Misjudging Available Space
A driver who miscalculates the amount of room needed to complete a turn may strike nearby vehicles or force them into oncoming traffic to avoid a collision. This kind of error is especially dangerous at tight intersections, where drivers have little room to react.
Distracted Driving
A wide-right turn demands a truck driver’s full attention to mirrors, blind spots, and surrounding traffic. Texting, eating, or other distractions during the maneuver can cause a driver to miss a vehicle, cyclist, or pedestrian in the truck’s path until it is too late to avoid a collision.
Fatigue and Inattention
Tired drivers have slower reaction times and impaired judgment, making it harder to accurately assess traffic conditions and safely complete a wide-turn maneuver.
Determining fault in a truck wide-right-turn accident may require a detailed investigation. A skilled Texas truck accident lawyer can examine black box data, driver qualification files, accident scene photos, and other evidence to build a clear picture of what happened and why.
Common Injuries in Wide-Turn Truck Accidents
These accidents can cause devastating injuries. Vehicles pinned between the trailer and a fixed object, or caught in an underride collision, are subject to tremendous force in a very short span.
These mechanics can lead to severe injuries such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) caused by sudden deceleration, side-impact forces, or occupants striking interior surfaces during a lateral collision
- Spinal cord injuries resulting from compression and twisting forces when a vehicle is crushed or violently rotated
- Crush injuries and amputations occur when vehicles are pinned between the trailer and fixed objects like curbs, poles, or other cars.
- Internal organ damage caused by high-impact blunt force and rapid compression of the torso
- Fractures and orthopedic trauma from door intrusion, vehicle collapse, or being struck by the swinging trailer
Because of the truck’s size, even low-speed turning errors can generate extreme force transfer to smaller vehicles and vulnerable road users. Injuries of this severity often involve multiple parties whose negligence contributed to the crash.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Wide-Turn Truck Accident
The truck driver is typically the most obvious source of liability in a wide-turn truck accident injury claim, but they are not always the only party. Other responsible parties may include:
- The trucking company: If the truck driver’s employer failed to properly train drivers on safe wide-turn execution, or turned a blind eye to past violations, they may be partly responsible for the accident.
- A cargo loading company: Unsafe loading can compound the dangers of a wide-turn accident if an unbalanced load caused the truck to tip over or jackknife.
- A third driver: Careless driving by someone else in the area may have made the turn more dangerous than it otherwise would have been.
- A government entity: A government entity: If poor road design or inadequate signage contributed to the accident, a state or municipal entity responsible for road construction may share responsibility. In Texas, claims against government entities involve strict notice deadlines, sometimes as short as 90 days, and other procedural requirements that don’t apply to claims against private parties.
In determining liability for a truck accident, a wide-turn truck accident attorney considers all potential sources of compensation. In handling your claim, we will carefully analyze the facts and the evidence to identify every liable party and pursue compensation such as medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Talk With an Attorney Who Understands the Trucking Industry
At D. Miller & Associates, our lawyers understand how wide turns, blind spots, and other trucking negligence lead to serious injuries on Texas roads. There is no fee unless we win your case. Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced truck accident attorney serving clients in Houston and throughout Texas.
