Due to a crash, all northbound lanes on Interstate 15 were closed Sunday night. Around 5:45 pm, a semitruck crashed into a cement barrier on northbound I-15 just after 12300 South Exit ramp. Utah Highway Patrol said the crash occurred probably because of slick road conditions, and the driver was traveling too fast to control the large vehicle. The truck’s trailer jack-knifed, blocking northbound traffic lanes. There was another vehicle driven by an 18-year-old woman that was somehow involved, though details are not known at present.
Trucks are much larger vehicles than other cars on the road, and probably all of us will share the roadway with them at some point. From the National Traffic Safety Institute, here are some interesting facts, and some safety tips when driving near trucks:
- More than 200,000 collisions involving at least one passenger car and one large truck happen every year in the United States
- Most collisions involving trucks occur in daylight, on straight, dry pavement, and under good weather conditions
- Trucks have different hazards than passenger cars. They have large blind spots known as “No Zones.” If you can’t see the truck operator in his or her outside mirrors, then he/she probably cannot see your vehicle.
- Trucks need more room when making turns. A good rule of them is to maintain at least a four-second following distance, and make sure you’re not trapped into your lane by surrounding cars in case of an emergency.
- The best defensive driving technique when dealing with large vehicles is to stay away from them.
From all of us at Christensen & Hymas, keep yourself aware and safe next to the vehicles with whom you share the roads!