Driving a large vehicle on the road requires a different set of rules than driving a regular car. An 18-wheeler driver owes a greater duty of care to other motorists on Texas highways. While we all have to follow all the same laws, such as not speeding and obeying traffic signs and signals, an 18-wheeler driver must exercise even more care because their trucks are more dangerous. The following distance rule is one of the most violated rules 18-wheeler drivers commit while operating on Texas highways.
If you were injured as a result of an 18-wheeler failing to follow your vehicle in a safe manner, contact Ryan Pigg immediately.
The following distance rule is a core principle of driving safely with a large vehicle, such as a truck or semi-trailer. This rule requires that you keep at least one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length between your car and the car in front of you. For example, if you have a 40-foot tractor-trailer, you need to leave four full seconds between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
The following distance rule can be applied to any type of vehicle — not just trucks — but it's important to remember this guideline because it will help prevent accidents from occurring when other drivers are tailgating or attempting unsafe maneuvers behind trucks on highways and city streets.
The three-second rule has been used for many years to determine the correct following distance. However, the three-second rule may not be the best way to measure safe following distances for 18-wheelers because of how different trucks work compared to regular cars.
Trucks are much heavier and can't brake as quickly as cars which means they need more time and space in order to stop safely. Because of this, it’s recommended that truckers follow ten feet behind cars instead of three or four feet behind them as recommended by the Three Second Rule.
If the weather is bad, such as during snow or heavy rain, 18-wheeler drivers must leave even more space between themselves and other cars on the road. 18-wheeler drivers should add one second of braking time for every ten feet of vehicle length for every 10 MPH over 40 MPH.
Example: A truck that is 50 feet long will require 5 seconds of additional braking distance in order to stop at 40mph if there was no acceleration involved (i.e., 5 seconds * 60 = 300 ft) If this same truck was traveling down a highway at 55 mph it would require 6 seconds of additional braking distance (i.e., 6 seconds * 60 = 360 ft).
In conclusion, the following distance rule is a core principle of driving safely with a large vehicle, such as a truck or semi-trailer. This rule requires that you keep at least one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length between your car and the car in front of you. If an 18-wheeler driver violated this rule and injured you, contact Ryan Pigg immediately. Ryan Pigg has successfully litigated dozens of cases involving 18-wheeler drivers who failed to provide sufficient distance between their dangerous trucks and the vehicles ahead of them.
