Squeeze Play and Wide Turns

Truck accidents can occur for a wide variety of reasons, including squeeze play and wide turns. If you’re not familiar with the term ‘squeeze play,’ it’s the type of accident that occurs when a vehicle is squeezed or smashed between a truck and a curb when the truck is making a turn. Since not all truck drivers safely signal or adequately gauge their surroundings when making turns, it’s important to understand how squeeze play accidents occur and what you can do to avoid them. 

Because these accidents can leave victims severely and catastrophically injured, it’s critical to speak with a personal injury attorney who has proven truck accident case experience as soon after a squeeze play accident as possible.

How Does Squeeze Play Accident Occur?

Typically, a squeeze play accident happens when a car is passing or attempting to pass a truck during a turn. Because tractor trailers are so large and much longer than traditional passenger vehicles, they must often veer left before they can make a right turn, otherwise they might risk driving over the curb, clipping other vehicles or simply turning too sharply. Unfortunately, this maneuver, if done improperly can leave other drivers thinking that the truck is simply making a lane change, and not setting up for a turn. This can be confusing and counterintuitive for other motorists on the road who may think they can move into the now-empty lane or pass the truck that appears to be changing lanes. While the car is attempting to get past the truck, the truck then cuts right to make a turn, effectively running over the smaller vehicle, or sandwiching, squeezing or smashing it between a curb, other cars, a wall or other barrier in the roadway.

Caution: Wide Right Turns

Many of us see these stickers and signs on the back of semi trucks that say “Caution: Wide Right Turns,” but how often to we really think about why they’re there? Right turns are typically where squeeze play accidents occur, and while we might be aware of and conscious of the dangers of wide right turns, we might not always think that a truck will veer left first, or make what appears to be a lane change prior to a turn. If done safely and correctly, there shouldn’t be any problem, but not all drivers make safe wide right turns, so always remain as vigilant as possible around large trucks, and contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible if you’ve been injured in a crash.