Tennessee Tractor-Trailer Leaves The Road And Plunges 1000 Ft. Into a Gourge
A tragic tractor-trailer fatality occurred yesterday morning near Caryville Tennessee when the trucker was unable to bring his truck to a stop as he encountered traffic stopped for another accident. The tractor-trailer clipped a pickup truck, ran through a guardrail and plunged 1000 feet over a cliff. The driver was ejected even though he had on his seat belt.
In Tennessee a driver must always be on the defensive, always thinking about what other drivers might do and be prepared to respond with proper reactions. Drivers must know and understand safe and proper braking procedures for the vehicles they drive. This includes the principles of adequate following distances.
Tennessee law states: “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.” When another driver makes a mistake, you need time to react. Give yourself this time by keeping a “space cushion” around your vehicle. This space cushion will give you room to brake and avoid hazards when needed.
Good drivers keep this safe following distance or space cushion to have a better view of the road. The more space you allow between your car and the car ahead, the more time you will have to see and react to traffic hazards or crashes down the road.
I have only read the media reports of this accident but under most circumstances a trucker should be able to see far enough ahead to see the problems ahead, unless he was distracted by something. Cell phones and texting are the number one offenders when it comes to distracted driving. Investigators will most probably find phone records that will indicate that he was on the phone when he should have been keeping a lookout ahead.
If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile tractor-trailer accident accident caused by a negligent Trucker, contact the experienced Nashville tractor-trailer accident attorneys at the Nashville law firm of Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.
Phillip Miller is a Tennessee Accident Attorney specializing in
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