Missouri Truck Accident Blog

Department of Transportation Analyzes Truck Behavior

The Missouri Department of Transportation’s report, “Investigating Large Truck-Passenger Vehicle Interactions,” reveals a number of interesting facts about how large trucks and passenger vehicles share the road. The Department of Transportation also makes a number of recommendations about ways to increase safety when passenger vehicles share the road with large trucks.

The report notes that, on average, large trucks on Missouri freeways drive only two miles per hour slower than surrounding passenger vehicles. On sections of freeway with more than two lanes, trucks commonly used the middle lane or lanes, avoiding both the “fast” lane on the far left and the “slow” lane on the far right. Finally, although trucks do not account for a large share of accidents on rural roads, study of freeway accidents involving large trucks showed that large trucks were involved in more freeway accidents than their numbers suggested they should be.

To reduce the number of truck accidents on Missouri’s freeways, the report’s authors suggest a number of solutions. First, implementing a truck speed limit that is five to ten miles per hour lower than the speed limit for passenger cars would slow trucks down and reduce collisions. The authors also recommend putting in dedicated truck lanes to reduce the number of trucks using the center lanes.

Passenger cars sharing Missouri’s freeways with large trucks are at risk of injury due to careless or negligent truck driving. If you or someone you love has been injured due to a truck driver’s negligence, the experienced Missouri truck driver negligence attorneys at Page Law are able to help. Our attorneys will review your case and help you seek compensation for injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other adverse consequences of your accident. Please don’t hesitate to contact Page Law today at (314) 322-8515 to schedule a free case evaluation.