Every trucker who’s been driving long enough has stories about people in their sedans, coupes, etc. acting like they’re the same size as a semi. Other drivers cut semis off constantly or otherwise make it very difficult for a commercial driver to maintain safety. That being said, truck drivers still need to do everything they can to prevent accidents from happening. One all-too-common form is known as an underride accident. Keep reading to learn about steps you can take to prevent these truck accidents in Dallas from happening.

An underride accident refers to a passenger vehicle crashing into a semi from behind. Due to the height differential, the passenger car ends up under the semi, hence the name. Unfortunately, this often means the semi rips off the top of the passenger vehicle. Obviously, this is extremely dangerous as now the people inside the car are completely exposed, should the accident continue on. Of course, the initial underride accident can often be enough to cause fatalities.

Now the truth is, there is only so much you can do, as a truck driver, to prevent these types of truck accidents in Dallas from happening. That’s because they’re usually caused by a passenger vehicle following you much too closely. At that point, you can try to switch lanes, but not much else. Nonetheless, stay vigilant so you can try to diffuse this situation immediately.

Still, there are some precautions you can take. For one thing, make sure your brakes are being properly maintained. This should be part of your employer’s responsibility, but it’s good to confirm that.

It’s also important that your taillights are functioning correctly and that your truck has reflective tape at the rear. These measures will help at night, as sometimes cars are simply going so fast behind you that they don’t realize their peril until it’s too late.

Using underride guards will help in the event of a collision, by making it impossible for a car to slide below your semi.

Even if you follow all these steps, underride truck accidents in Dallas can still happen. When they do, call 911. Next, call Kirkendall Dwyer LLP. They can provide you the representation you deserve.