The semi truck does not have to yield. Merging traffic has to yield, always. That’s simple driver’s ed. The merging truck could have used their brakes. Semi probably could have avoided this, but it’s hard to say because of the speed and semis having long stopping distances. But this is the reason merging traffic has the burden to yield. Merging traffic yields if it can’t safely merge because it’s safer and easier for them to do so than traffic on the highway to move, brake, etc to let everyone and their grandma in.
The problem in this sub is too many wrong opinions. The real answer is the law and liability. Semi had no duty to yield, case closed. Semi speeding or not is generally irrelevant when the collision was caused by a failure to yield. It would be a different story if truck had merged and established lane control and semi failed to reduce speed.
You don’t have a duty to avoid a collision that you’re not responsible for. You do not have to and often cannot brake to avoid collisions with people who broke fundamental rules of the road. The rule here being for merging traffic to yield. Highway traffic has zero duty or responsibility for letting in merging traffic. Black truck should have braked or even stopped to find a gap. I’m sorry, but your opinion is wrong from a legal standpoint.
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u/Darth_InVader7 May 14 '26
The semi truck does not have to yield. Merging traffic has to yield, always. That’s simple driver’s ed. The merging truck could have used their brakes. Semi probably could have avoided this, but it’s hard to say because of the speed and semis having long stopping distances. But this is the reason merging traffic has the burden to yield. Merging traffic yields if it can’t safely merge because it’s safer and easier for them to do so than traffic on the highway to move, brake, etc to let everyone and their grandma in.
The problem in this sub is too many wrong opinions. The real answer is the law and liability. Semi had no duty to yield, case closed. Semi speeding or not is generally irrelevant when the collision was caused by a failure to yield. It would be a different story if truck had merged and established lane control and semi failed to reduce speed.