The Potential Dangers of Driving a Tractor Trailer at Night
Is it safe for a tractor trailer to drive the speed limit at night? Maybe not depending on the driver's visibility.
Headlights are limited in the area they illuminate. For instance, low beam headlights provide a driver with approximately 250 to 300 feet of visibility. Of course, that distance is less if the lights are dirty or faded. If the tractor trailer driver is traveling at 55 miles per hour (which is less than highway speeds in most places throughout Florida and Jacksonville), the tractor trailer travels that 250 to 300 feet distance in just over 3 to 4 seconds. Therefore, at 55 miles per hour, that driver may have just over 4 seconds, or less, to identify and respond to another vehicle or an unlit hazard on the road at night. At 60 or 65 miles per hour (more common speeds driven by tractor trailers), obviously the driver's response time is less. That means the tractor trailer driver has very little time to assess a dangerous situation and respond effectively to avoid an injury accident, if necessary.
Even if the driver recognizes another car that is stopped or a danger on the road immediately, it may not be possible to avoid an accident. Again, at 55 miles per hour, the truck driver will need about 300 to 360 feet to safely stop the tractor trailer. That distance could be more depending on the weight of the load in the trailer and the quality of the brakes. Doing the math, at 55 miles per hour with no other effective lighting other than the low beam headlights, the big truck driver may be able to only see 300 feet ahead but need up to 360 feet to safely stop. In other words, at that seemingly safe speed, that driver is likely not going to be able to safely stop for certain dangers on the road. This is called "overdriving the headlights" or driving too fast given the visibility afforded by the headlights.
Driving a tractor trailer at night with the high beams on (when appropriate), can increase a driver's visibility by up to approximately 200 feet. Additionally, driving slower at night and being extra alert can increase the response time for a driver when he or she sees a hazard. These two methods can reduce or eliminate the "overdriving the headlights" scenario.
If you have been involved in an injury accident caused by an 18 wheeler/tractor trailer that occurred at night, it is important to investigate and understand not just the speed of the tractor trailer (i.e. knowing that the tractor trailer was going the speed limit is not necessarily the end of the inquiry) but also the other factors that may have affected the driver's visibility and response time. An experienced attorney can obtain the appropriate documents and ask the right questions to learn that important information.
