Trucks Are Everywhere
It is impossible to drive on the highway in America, in any state, without ending up near or around a large truck. Trucks come in all sizes, from small box trucks like moving vans to huge 18-wheelers—and these can sometimes have more than one trailer behind the cab! These trucks are driven by a legion of dedicated truck drivers, many of whom will drive millions of miles in their careers without ever having an accident.
It’s not too well known, but many truck accidents are not even the fault of the truck driver, but of motorists that don’t think twice when driving around one of these big rigs.
Below, our colleagues from Blaszkow Legal, PLLC discuss some important dos and don’ts to help keep you safe on the road.
Improper Passing Is A Leading Cause
One of the leading causes of car, motorcycle, and truck accidents is improper passing. Trucks often go slower than smaller cars, because obviously, they have a lot of weight to move behind them. This is especially true uphill, where weight and gravity are pulling against them.
Normally, there is nothing wrong with passing one of these vehicles, if it is legal to do so. But if you decide to do so, you still have to pass with care and due regard.
Blind Spots Must Be Taken Seriously
When passing a big rig or other truck, you have to take into account the blind spots of the truck. There are areas that the driver simply cannot see, because of the shape of the vehicle and his position in the cab.
Truck drivers and trucking companies have taken to putting huge mirrors on many parts of the vehicles to make sure that they can drive as safely as possible and reduce the size of these blind spots. But for your own safety, you should:
- Avoid these blind spots
- Avoid taking sudden action within them
Don’t Merge Too Soon
When you are passing a big rig truck, you have to be careful of where you merge into the lane that the truck is currently in. You should never cut back into the lane immediately in front of a truck.
- This is one of the blind spots that most truck drivers cannot overcome with mirrors.
- They sit up high, and the nose of the truck extends out in front of them.
To protect yourself, give the truck some space—meaning that you should generally not reenter that lane for at least one full car length. Two or three is much safer. This gives the truck driver more time to react if you yourself have to do something that you didn’t plan on doing, like coming to a stop or slowing down.
Never Brake-Check A Truck
It goes without saying—never ever ever brake-check or come to a halt in front of a truck on the highway!
Share The Road Safely
Trucks are an important part of moving America, and you have to use caution when driving around these vehicles. Give them some space, and don’t be in too much of a hurry.
If you follow these simple rules, you can help reduce the number of serious injury accidents that occur on our roadways!
If you have been in an accident with any sort of vehicle on the road, a motorcycle accident lawyer can give you legal guidance on what your next steps should be.