When a Tractor-Trailer Follows Too Closely: The Danger of Tailgating Trucks

Virginia Truck Accidents

Some of the most devastating truck crashes happen when a tractor-trailer follows another vehicle too closely on a highway or interstate. Because of a commercial truck’s enormous size and weight, it takes far longer to slow down or stop than a passenger car. When a tailgating truck meets stopped or slowing traffic, it often results in a rear-end collision the driver can’t avoid. For anyone injured in a crash like this, understanding why these wrecks happen and what to do when a big rig is riding your bumper can make a real difference. A Virginia Beach truck accident lawyer will look closely at following distance and stopping time when investigating how one of these collisions occurred.

Why Trucks Cannot Stop the Way Cars Can

The single most important fact about a large truck is how much road it needs to stop. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a loaded tractor-trailer traveling at 55 miles per hour needs roughly 196 feet to come to a complete stop under good conditions. A passenger car at the same speed needs about 133 feet. That difference of more than 60 feet is the length of several car lengths, and it grows dramatically on wet or icy pavement.

A fully loaded truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, twenty to thirty times the weight of a car, and that mass takes far longer to bring to a halt. Many heavy trucks also use air brakes, which take a fraction of a second longer to engage than a car’s hydraulic brakes. Add the time a driver needs to perceive a hazard and react, and the total distance required to stop a truck at highway speed can approach the length of a football field. When a truck erases that safety cushion by tailgating, it leaves itself no room to stop.

The consequences show up in the crash data. In the FMCSA’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study, following too closely was identified as a factor in roughly 5 percent of serious large-truck crashes and was one of the factors statistically linked to trucks rather than passenger vehicles.

What to Do If a Truck Is Tailgating You

Finding a tractor-trailer looming in your rearview mirror is unnerving, but how you respond matters. The following steps can help you defuse a dangerous situation:

  • Do not slam on your brakes. Braking hard to signal a tailgater might work with another car, but with a truck that cannot stop quickly, it can cause the very rear-end collision you are trying to avoid.
  • Give the truck a chance to pass. On a two-lane highway, look for a safe spot to pull over and let the truck by. On an interstate, easing off the accelerator can let the truck move around you in the left lane.
  • Do not speed up. Do not let yourself be bullied into driving faster than is safe. Stay at the speed limit and drive only as fast as you are comfortable.
  • Get the truck’s information. Many commercial trucks display a company name and phone number on the rear. You can report unsafe driving to the trucking company, and if the truck is driving recklessly and endangering others, report it to the police.
  • Do not play games. Letting a truck pass is not losing. Trading aggressive maneuvers with an 80,000-pound vehicle is extraordinarily dangerous, and giving way is always the safer choice.

Who Is Responsible When a Tailgating Truck Causes a Crash

When a truck rear-ends the vehicle in front of it, the truck driver is often at fault because maintaining a safe following distance is a basic duty every commercial driver is trained to follow. That said, trucking insurers rarely concede fault. They often try to shift blame onto the injured party, arguing that the lead vehicle stopped suddenly, was traveling too slowly, or was somehow at fault for the collision. Overcoming those arguments takes a thorough investigation of the driver’s conduct, the truck’s speed and braking data, the carrier’s records, and the physical evidence at the scene.

That work is central to how we handle these cases. In one matter, we secured a $3.5 million wrongful death settlement for the family of a young man who was killed when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the slow-moving car he was riding in on Interstate 64 in Norfolk. The truck’s insurer tried to place most of the blame on the disabled vehicle, but we showed the driver made inaccurate statements to investigators and violated several safety rules in Virginia’s Commercial Driving Manual. Results depend on the facts of each case, but an outcome of that kind reflects the detailed development of evidence a serious truck accident claim requires.

Injured by a Tailgating Truck? Contact Us Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in a rear-end crash caused by a tractor-trailer or any other commercial truck, a Virginia Beach truck accident lawyer at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp can review the circumstances, determine who is responsible, and pursue the full compensation you may be owed. Contact us at 833-997-1774 for a free consultation with one of our dedicated Virginia Beach truck accident lawyers. We have offices in Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, and we are ready to put our experience to work for you and your family.