Truck Drivers Must Refrain From Careless Driving

Defining careless driving can be very difficult. Ultimately, it is up to the officer writing the ticket to determine whether or not a driver was careless, and rarely will it be based on the little things that can cause accidents like failing to keep two hands on the wheel or remaining attentive to the road. Careless driving usually requires some observable sign that the driver is not paying proper attention.

Though many if not most cases of careless driving are never seen or cited by police officers, examples of driving behavior that may yield a ticket include:

• Aggressive lane changes, particularly when not properly signaling
• Drifting in and out of lanes
• Riding too close to the center lane line
• Unnecessary and frequent changes in speed

Though determining whether or not any of these behaviors by truckers lead directly to accidents can be difficult, human beings react to what others do, and other drivers will certainly change their behavior when faced with a semi being driven in an irregular manner. Even if an accident does not include the big rig it may be caused by the driver’s erratic behavior.

The roads might be safer if more citations for careless driving were issued. Most truck schools and trucking companies take a long hard look at applicants’ driving records, and a careless driving citation is often enough to keep dangerous drivers out of trucks. Police should be attentive to people driving in ways that are reasonably likely to cause accidents.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident involving a semi or other large vehicle, it is important to look at the driving history of the person behind the wheel of the truck. Please consider reaching out to an experienced attorney who can guide you through the process of determining precisely what went wrong to cause the accident.