With a size that vastly outweighs the size of an average motor vehicle, Sarasota tractor trailer accidents often end in severe injuries, extensive property damage, and large financial costs. Frighteningly, for many motorists and safety advocates, trucking companies are pushing for the use of bigger and heavier trucks on Florida’s roadways. The dangers associated with these larger tractor-trailer trucks are numerous.

Examples of these new, larger tractor-trailers include:

  • Longer, combination vehicles, consisting of triple-trailer trucks over 100 feet long and weighing over 100,000 pounds
  • Turnpike doubles, consisting of 120 foot double trailer trucks weighing up to 135,000 pounds or more

The following is an overview of the dangers associated with these large trucks increasing the risks of Sarasota truck accidents:

  • Drivers of large tractor trailers face the risk of injury or death. The trucking industry has one of the highest employee fatality rates of any industry in the nation. 
  • 80,000-pound or heavier trucks are two times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash as trucks weighing 50,000 pounds or less.
  • Double-trailer trucks are 32% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash as single-trailer trucks.
  • Crashes involving double or triple trailer trucks have the highest associated costs of any type of fatal crash.
  • According to the Federal Highway Administration, which conducted a 2006 truck crash study, the average cost per fatal crash for trucks with two or three trailers is $3.6 million dollars. 
  • Double or triple trailers are much more difficult to control or stop.
  • Over 80% of truck drivers agree that double and triple tractor-trailer trucks are less safe to operate than single-trailer trucks.
  • Even without wind and curves in the road, the back end of a triple trailer truck is highly likely to sway back and forth across lanes, risking collision with other motorists.
  • In an emergency requiring quick response time, drivers have very little control over a third trailer.
  • When drivers of large tractor-trailer trucks have to make a sudden maneuver, this can result in a violent swinging of the trailer that can cause rollover and trailer separation. This is referred to as a “crack-the-whip” effect.
  • Even at low speeds, large tractor-trailers are dangerous when rounding short highway curves or street intersections. In order to make the turn, these large trucks often have to encroach into adjacent or opposing lanes of traffic.


If you were involved in a Florida truck accident involving a large tractor-trailer an experienced Sarasota accident attorney can assist you in protecting your legal rights. For more information, and a free consultation, complete our online submission form or call our office at (888) 409-3805.

Damian Mallard, Esq.
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Board Certified Sarasota Personal Injury Attorney