Trucks are the reason why the stores you visit have goods on their shelves. In fact, if the nation's truck transportation system were to shut down tomorrow, our towns and cities would run out of food within a week. Although essential to the economy, trucks also take a toll on the lives of motorists with whom they share the road. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, this toll comes to nearly 4,000 fatalities each year from accidents.
Some may argue that accidents among motorists cause more deaths. However, truck drivers are professionals held to a higher standard. When they fall short of this, the resulting accidents with motorists are far more deadly because of the truck's enormous size and weight. According to a paper published …show more content…
This gives them a weight advantage of 76,800 pounds over the average car. Just the trailers alone can weigh from 30,000 to 70,000 pounds. Clearly, truck accidents are more dangerous because of the heavy loads they carry.
To further bring home the point, consider that in terms of destructive energy, the average car would have to drive at 300 mph to attain the same destructive energy of a truck driving at 60 mph (and weighing 25 times more than the car).
The Effect of Weight on the Semi Truck's Braking
The total stopping distance of a fully loaded tractor-trailer (weighing 80,000 pounds) driving at 65 mph under ideal conditions is nearly the length of two football fields, or 525 feet. This distance is the sum of three parts:
Reaction time distance. This is the distance traveled during the time required for the driver to get his foot to the brake pedal after recognizing the need to stop.
Brake lag distance. This is the distance traveled during the time required for the brake pedal to mechanically engage the brake pads in all of the wheels (3/4 of a second).
The braking distance. This is the distance traveled while the brake pads are engaged in slowing the rig.
Note that stopping a 4,000 pound car at 65 mph requires 316 …show more content…
The high center of gravity makes it prone to tipping over when making sudden swerves to avoid an obstacle or a car. A hard swerve accompanied by hard braking can initiate jackknifing or tipping over. Unless the rig has ABS brakes, the driver must execute hard braking and turning
Some may argue that accidents among motorists cause more deaths. However, truck drivers are professionals held to a higher standard. When they fall short of this, the resulting accidents with motorists are far more deadly because of the truck's enormous size and weight. According to a paper published …show more content…
This gives them a weight advantage of 76,800 pounds over the average car. Just the trailers alone can weigh from 30,000 to 70,000 pounds. Clearly, truck accidents are more dangerous because of the heavy loads they carry.
To further bring home the point, consider that in terms of destructive energy, the average car would have to drive at 300 mph to attain the same destructive energy of a truck driving at 60 mph (and weighing 25 times more than the car).
The Effect of Weight on the Semi Truck's Braking
The total stopping distance of a fully loaded tractor-trailer (weighing 80,000 pounds) driving at 65 mph under ideal conditions is nearly the length of two football fields, or 525 feet. This distance is the sum of three parts:
Reaction time distance. This is the distance traveled during the time required for the driver to get his foot to the brake pedal after recognizing the need to stop.
Brake lag distance. This is the distance traveled during the time required for the brake pedal to mechanically engage the brake pads in all of the wheels (3/4 of a second).
The braking distance. This is the distance traveled while the brake pads are engaged in slowing the rig.
Note that stopping a 4,000 pound car at 65 mph requires 316 …show more content…
The high center of gravity makes it prone to tipping over when making sudden swerves to avoid an obstacle or a car. A hard swerve accompanied by hard braking can initiate jackknifing or tipping over. Unless the rig has ABS brakes, the driver must execute hard braking and turning