What To Do When Sharing The Highway With Big Trucks

There are currently more tractor-trailers and other large trucks on the road, so the risk of other motorists being injured in a collision with one of these vehicles has increased. However, drivers can reduce the incidence of these types of accidents by taking certain precautions. Truck accidents can happen to anyone, even the most careful drivers; if you’ve been wounded because of the negligence of another motorist, you may want to speak with a trucking accident specialist.

Keep An Eye Out For Potential Blind Spots

Semi-trucks typically measure 70 feet, making them approximately five times longer than the average vehicle. Because of this, it is difficult, if not impossible, to keep an eye out for oncoming traffic because their blind spots are much larger. The following is a list of blind spots, sometimes known as “No Zones,” that other drivers need to be aware of.

Within the first 20 feet in front of the truck; No more than 30 feet in back of the truck; To the left of the trailer’s centerline, spanning a distance equal to roughly half its length from the driver’s side door; It will take up both lanes to the right of the truck and a portion of the trailer’s length on the diagonal; It will be positioned in the middle of the diagonal.

Remember that if you can’t see yourself in the side mirror of a semi-truck, the driver probably can’t see you, either. This is something you should always keep in mind.

Preserve A Reasonable Distance Behind The Vehicle

When you are sharing the road with a semi-truck, another important thing to remember is how important it is to keep a safe following distance. If you maintain a safe distance behind a large commercial truck, it will be easier for you to respond swiftly if the vehicle suddenly comes to a halt. Professionals recommend that you maintain a space of four seconds between yourself and a semi-truck.

Plan On Making Large Sweeps

Because of their enormous turning radius, which provides much less room for other cars, semis have a particularly difficult time making turns than other vehicles. When making a turn, it is not unusual for a semi-truck to block more than one lane of traffic; therefore, you should bear this fact in mind if you are driving in an area where a semi-truck is making a turn.

Pass With Caution

Whenever you need to maneuver around a large truck, you need to make sure that you are extremely cautious. To illustrate, use your turn signal to alert the truck driver that you are going to change lanes, and check that the truck driver can see you in the rearview mirror before making the shift. In addition, you need to get around the truck as quickly as possible so that you spend as little time as possible in the blind spot of the driver. Last but not least, before passing a vehicle, you should always check the truck’s visibility in your rearview mirror first.

Final Thoughts

When a truck is involved in an accident, the occupants of the smaller car nearly invariably get severe injuries. Unfortunately, trucking companies are sometimes unwilling to pay the entire claim value to a party that has been injured—because of this, having an attorney who specializes in cases involving truck accidents on your side is quite necessary. Get in touch with the company as soon as possible to inquire about the firm’s legal services and how they can be useful to you.