A recent settlement in a Texas accident is raising more questions about the safety of the trucking industry. The driver of the garbage truck that was involved in the accident apparently ran out of fuel, but did not set out flares because he did not want to be hit by another vehicle. A driver came upon the garbage truck, but did not see it and struck it. Evidence seemed to indicate that the garbage company knew of a problem with the fuel gauge but did not fix it. This comes on the heels of a case in Missouri where a trucker may have falsified his hours driving.
This should not really come as a surprise to anyone. When I was an insurance adjuster, it was common to see truckers with two sets of log books. I am not implying that all drivers do it, but a fair number do. I would go to the scene of an accident and ask the driver for his log book. I would be given one, and then ask for his other log book. Some drivers would deny having one, and some I believed. But others obviously did carry two sets. One driver even got caught by the CHP with two sets.
There are some great drivers on the road driving our tractor-trailers. But, there are some bad apples to. Since you do not know which is which when you are driving your much smaller car, you must be careful. Give them plenty of room, do not pass in their blind spots, and be safe near them. This is your best chance to avoid a potentially deadly accident with a truck.