Compared to other vehicles, large and heavy semi-trucks are capable of causing many types catastrophic of truck accidents.
It takes much longer for these trucks to slow down, and the semi-truck stopping distance vs. cars is substantial. When a truck brakes too late, others can suffer serious injuries or death.
Keeping a Safe Travel Distance Between Yourself and Big Trucks
The average personal vehicle in the United States weighs between 2,600 lbs and 4,400 lbs. According to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TDMV), the maximum weight limit for a truck without an overweight permit is about 80,000 lbs.
With these much larger vehicles on the road with you, it’s vital that you maintain a safe distance, sometimes called an interval, between you and everyone else.
The Texas Drivers Manual states that you should constantly assess the distance of the car or truck in front of you to determine a safe distance based on your traveling speed.
The recommended practice for the interval between yourself and the other car is at least two seconds if you are traveling under 30mph.
Anything over 30 mph should have an opening of about four seconds in good road conditions and daytime lighting.
Adjusting for Adverse Conditions
Any road conditions affecting your stopping time should prompt you to keep more distance between yourself and the car in front of you. Some of these may include:
- Ice
- Rain
- Debris in the road
- Low tire tread
- Worn brakes
If you encounter any of the above conditions, or even if you are tired or just don’t feel your best, this can affect the time you need to react by extending the amount of time you require to make a decision or extending the distance your vehicle needs to stop. This extra distance provides more time for you to respond and more physical space for your vehicle to stop.
What May Affect Stopping Distance for Semi Trucks?
Most people are aware that a large truck will require a longer stopping distance due to its size, weight, and the momentum it builds while traveling.
With more cargo and higher weights, trucks become even more difficult to stop on short notice. The Texas Commercial Drivers Manual explains that, while the brakes must do more work to stop a heavier vehicle, the brakes, tires, springs, and shock absorbers are designed to be most efficient when the truck is fully loaded.
This means a fully loaded truck may have the least stopping distance. This distance can vary based on some of the following conditions:
- Weight of the load
- Speed
- Lighting or time of day
- Wet or slippery roads
- Ice on the roads
Assessing How Much Space is Needed
The Texas DMV commercial driving manual provides a formula to help truck drivers determine a safe following distance. This rule says drivers should allow at least one second of space per 10 feet of vehicle length up to 40 mph. Beyond 40mph adds an additional second.
For example, if a truck is 50 feet long and traveling 55mph, drivers should allow six seconds of space between the car in front of them and another vehicle.
The manual recommends drivers find a point in the road or shadow to reference. When the vehicle in front of the truck passes that reference point, drivers should begin counting the seconds, stopping the count when they pass that same point. That number indicates how far the distance is between the vehicles.
What Factors Determine How Much Space I Need?
The distance you need to stop safely will vary based on a number of factors, including some of those mentioned above. However, the personal and commercial license driving manuals provide basic guidelines on assessing a safe distance. Each driver must consider complicating factors that may increase the stopping distance.
Personal Vehicle Stopping Distance
The Texas driver's manual reports that the average person takes about 1.5 seconds to process a need to slow or stop and apply the brakes. Depending on your speed, you travel different distances while you process the need to stop and while you are stopping. For example, at 20mph, you may only travel 44 feet while deciding you need to stop, but when you travel 70mph, this increases to nearly 155 feet. Once you depress the brakes, your car will travel around 19 and 233 additional feet, respectively. These numbers are based on dry conditions and a vehicle with appropriately maintained brakes and tires.
Semi Truck Stopping Distance
The stopping distance for a semi truck is significantly higher than that of a car. At 15mph, a truck will require about 72 feet to come to a complete stop, almost double the stopping distance of a car at 20mph. At 55mph, this distance increases to 419 feet, based on tests using a well-maintained vehicle on dry roads.
The commercial vehicle driving manual reports that, in addition to speed increasing the stopping distance needed, a truck's striking power multiplies with speed. For example, from 20mph to 40mph, the force of an impact would be four times higher. This dramatic increase in force means accidents become more serious since an error of judgment is more lethal as the driver has less time to respond.
Complicating Factors
Some additional considerations for large trucks beyond general weather and road conditions include curvy roads and inclines. A large truck attempting to stop too quickly on any road may result in a jackknife or rollover accident, which can happen when the trailer tries to continue moving even when the cab has stopped. These can be devastating in both loss of property and loss of life.
This can be a greater concern when the road is particularly steep or it is easier for the truck to end up off the road because it curves. If the road is not well-maintained, the government agency responsible for ensuring its safety may be at fault, along with the truck driver or trucking company. Other factors include faulty equipment, incomplete repairs, or insufficient inspections that allow unsafe semi trucks onto the roads with other vehicles.
If you have been injured in a truck accident because of another driver’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. You can speak with our team obligation-free, and we work on a contingency fee basis. This allows you to rest assured that you will not add piles of legal bills to your debt without compensation.
Contact Farah Law and schedule a free case consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer today.
