In the great Trucks Vs Cars debate, many drivers fail to realize that they are always responsible for their own actions. No matter who is technically “at fault” for an accident, each and every driver has a responsibility to drive safe, stay alert, and do everything they can to avoid a crash.

That being said, many drivers may be surprised at who actually wins the Trucks Vs Cars debate. Particularly these days, with the big, giant “Tracy Morgan Crash” taking up all the headlines and making truck drivers look like irresponsible, sleep-deprived road hazards.

A recent article by Traffic Mike does a great job of illustrating the relationship between trucks and cars. He tells us about his long journey through the uneventful state of Indiana, the potholes of Michigan, and the helpful blue signs along Kentucky’s highways. These informational signs show drivers how to pass an 18-wheeler correctly, allowing plenty of room before cutting back into the right lane. “Give them room” and “IT’S THE LAW” are prominently displayed.

He then cites an interesting study done by the University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Public Safety, which found these especially-surprising results:

• In fatal crashes, investigations found drivers of passenger vehicles were at fault 78 percent of the time, truck drivers only 22 percent.
• The proportion switches as the crashes get less severe. As injury level declines, the fault attributed to trucks increases though passenger vehicles remain the majority of the cause.
• However, with crashes that involved only property damage, trucks were listed at fault the majority of the time — almost 60 percent.

Consider these statements for a minute. Then, head on over to this link to read Traffic Mike’s full post. He makes some excellent points with just the right amount of humor to get the message across:

Knowing the “No-Zones”: The truth about cars and 18-wheelers