Approaching all vehicles that you cross paths with on the road with caution is important. But it’s especially important to make sure you do all you can to prevent an accident with those hauling loads several times the size of your vehicle.
You might already be the safest driver you know. Unfortunately, truck accident victims often find out that hindsight is 20/20 or that truly innocent people can suffer all because a trucker was negligent. As protection, you can learn how to position yourself on the road in way that only makes you less likely to crash into a truck.
Big blind spots
Instead of just hoping a truck driver can see you when you are near them, there are some ways you can ensure that you aren’t in their blind spots. As a driver yourself, you know that you can’t always see people driving at your side, truck drivers experience the same effect but on a larger scale. Since a truck driver’s blind spots are a lot larger than yours, you should make it point to never drive alongside a truck for long periods of time. You should also remain conscious of the fact that a truck driver can’t see you if you don’t have a clear view of them in their side mirror.
Big moves
In addition to having big blind spots, there are other grand gestures that truck drivers make because of their size. Since trucks need plenty of space to make their wide turns and they take a longer time to come to a compete stop, keeping a reasonable distance from both the front and back of the truck is crucial.
There are also ways you can exaggerate your moves to increase visibility. For instance, you might need to pass a truck and enter their blind spot in order to exit a highway. While doing so, be sure to put your blinker on early, allow enough space for two cars to fit between the back of your car and the front of the truck before merging and stay the same speed through the whole process.
At the end of the day, you can only control your own actions, so you should use that to your advantage out on the open road by making thoughtful choices.
