Earlier this morning, a Publix freightliner collided with a Ford F-250 shortly after 3 AM outside the Publix warehouse. The driver of the F-250 was declared dead at the scene by first responders. The condition of the Publix truck operator is unknown but presumed to be unharmed.
Authorities said the big rig operator was making a left turn onto NW 183 Street as the pickup was coming down the road. In traffic research, there’s a phenomenon called the “optimism bias” researchers have mainly applied to motorcycle crashes. Optimism bias describes a motorist’s tendency to underestimate the speed of an oncoming vehicle or overestimate the distance between the motorist and the oncoming vehicle. Optimism bias leads drivers to make unsafe left turns when the oncoming vehicle is not an actual threat to their safety.
As yet, there’s no way to know if optimism bias played a role in this accident, but it’s a point to consider in any accident involving a left-hand turn with oncoming traffic.
If you were injured in a big rig or 18-wheeler accident, speak with our firm—our Miami trucking attorneys can lay out your legal options in a free consultation.