Its common knowledge that a truck driver cannot see at night as well as during daylight hours. Some of the most horrific truck accidents happened during the night. Headlamps are designed to light up the streets. However, headlights have limitations and how far and good one can see is limited at nighttime. Generally, headlamps that are aimed correctly can have a range of 250 to 300 feet at ground level and between 400 and 500 feet on high beam. Therefore, the distance a truck driver can see depends on the proper maintenance of the rig’s headlights.
Truck Driver Dirty headlamp Accident
Truck driver headlights can become very dirty in wet or slushy conditions. A dirty wind shield can reduce visibility further. Headlamp glare can also affect a truck driver’s ability to see. If visibility is poor, a pedestrian is most likely going to be hit by a truck.
Truck drivers should reduce speed if visibility is poor because the perception and reaction time is reduced. Streetlights can help with truck driver visibility. Our truck accident law firm knows that in order to investigate the accident properly, all the conditions existed at the time of the accident must be considered to determine where the truck driver would be able to see the pedestrian or passenger vehicle involved in the accident. Our truck accident attorneys would also look at the clothing or color of the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Rain and fog can further reduce visibility, especially at nighttime. This condition cannot be recreated, but eyewitnesses can provide valuable information about the level of rain or fog. The police report can help with the information recorded by the investigating police officer who investigated at the scene. EMS reports and paramedics can help determine the weather conditions at the time of the truck accident crash. The rain can be characterized as har or drizzle, and the fog dense or thin. Oftentimes, we find cameras on local businesses or homes, which can help establish the weather conditions at the time of the crash. Rain and fog can cause the windshield to become wet, making visibility more difficult. Sometimes turning on the wipers will make the windows streak and visibility worse. If rain is heavy usually visibility is worse and sometimes windshield wipers cannot keep up with the rain.
Rain on the roadway can add many problems such as light reflecting back into the driver’s eyes and making seeing more difficult. The water can cover the painted lanes and lines on the roadway. Hard for the truck driver to determine where the lane is. Truck drivers should slow down.
Snow can also wipe out lane lines and reflect light back into the eyes of the driver. `The windshield can be dirty or tinted which will affect visibility. Old trucks may have problems with wiper blades that can scratch the windshield, chips from stones, or even scratches. All these conditions can reduce a truck driver’s visibility.
If you or a family member have been hurt in car accident in poor visibility conditions with a truck driver, call us today for a free consultation at 248-352-2110 or toll free 866-HIRE-JOE. Our law firm is centrally located in the Detroit Metro area serving victims of car accidents throughout Michigan.
