One of the most important aspects of vehicle operation is following the laws of the road, especially traffic laws. As you are driving down the street on your daily commute, you see many drivers not obeying the basic traffic laws. They run red lights, speed up to beat yellow lights, do not signal turns or lane changes, and improperly use lanes that they are sharing with other cars. These violations of traffic law, while seemingly innocuous, especially if you are a good driver yourself, can be the cause of preventable accidents and other unfortunate events.
While all of these laws seem harmless, the costs of not obeying traffic laws can be quite high. Therefore it is essential for all drivers on the road, from new teen drivers to professional drivers, to understand these laws. In this article, we will take a look at how the traffic laws apply specifically to professional drivers and why is it so important to have a thorough understanding of the traffic laws.
The Traffic Laws Are Especially Important for Truck Drivers
Professional truck drivers know that while there are many different types of traffic laws, the ones that they must pay the closest attention to are the “move over” laws. These state-mandated laws instruct any large vehicle, such as a truck driver’s rig, to give precedence to smaller vehicles on the road when it is safe and possible to do so. If a truck driver is on a highway and there is a car in the lane next to him, he must observe this law and pull over into one of the lanes that are farther away from the other vehicle if it will prevent an accident from occurring.
Not obeying the move over law in Folsom can be a serious infraction and the consequences of ignoring this traffic law include fines as well as potential jail time. If you have even been involved in a truck accident, finding a reputable truck accident lawyer in Folsom, CA is the best idea if you want to know what your legal rights are in this situation. Since the consequences of truck accidents can be particularly severe, learning as much as you can about these laws is essential for those who drive trucks professionally.
Traffic Laws Vary From State to State
One of the first things you will notice as a professional driver is that traffic laws vary from one state to another. This means that drivers should be aware of the laws of their particular state and obey those laws accordingly. For example, in some states, it is illegal for people driving on the highway to use their hazard lights unless they are using them for this purpose. In other states, however, these types of actions with your hazard lights may be legal and drivers should abide by those rules instead if they want to stay within the confines of legality. The best way to ensure that you are obeying all local traffic laws at all times is simple: become familiar with them yourself or brush up on what they are if you are not an expert.
Traffic Laws Help Keep You Safe
When you drive a car on the highway, it is important to follow all of the applicable traffic laws for your vehicle. If you are speeding, not wearing your seatbelt, or rolling through a stop sign or red light, there is a good chance that an accident will occur if another driver does not keep his car in check. It is estimated that 56 percent of all car accidents are a result of drivers breaking at least one traffic law. In addition to keeping you safe, these laws also help keep other drivers on the road safe as well. Therefore, knowing and understanding your local traffic laws will not only help you avoid potential accidents from taking place but it can be life-saving advice to other drivers on the road as well.
Understanding the Traffic Laws Helps You Be a Better Driver
Finally, learning as much as you can about the traffic laws of your state and practicing them on roads will help you to become a better driver overall. The training for a professional driving license is typically much more intense than a standard driver’s license but even those who have not been through the training process can help themselves to be better drivers simply by learning as much as they can about the traffic laws and practicing them daily.
Thus by learning more about how traffic laws apply specifically to professional drivers and making sure that they abide by these laws at all times, drivers can ensure that they will remain within the confines of legality and avoid any serious penalties if they are ever involved in an accident.
To ensure your safety and the safety of others on the road, it is important for you to become familiar with all of the traffic laws in your area and to make sure that you abide by them at all times. Whether they are the laws of your state or those required by a profession, obeying traffic law will help you be a better driver and ensure your safety as well as the safety of your fellow motorists.