Certainly, some people are nervous driving around trucks on the road. But
if you know how to drive safely around trucks, it might ease your nerves a bit.
No. 1: Never pass on the right, and pass quickly. When passing a truck,
make sure you do so quickly because trucks have large blind spots on both
sides; as a rule of thumb, if you can’t see the drivers, they can’t see you. Also,
be sure you always pass a truck in the left lane of a highway. The right side of
the truck has a larger blind spot, which increases the risk of an accident.
No. 2: Never cut them off. When passing or merging in front of a truck,
make sure the driver can see you move in front of the truck. If you get in
front of the truck and are too close (like when you pass a car), the driver
will not know you are there because he or she won’t be able to see you over the front
of the cab.
No. 3: Don’t tailgate. Since there are no back windows on a truck, truck drivers
don’t know you are behind them—so leave extra room when driving behind a
truck. Another reason to leave extra space is if another car cuts off a truck and the
driver tries to stop quickly, you will have more time to react to avoid hitting
the truck.
No. 4: Stay alert and anticipate. Even highways have hills, and while most cars
can maintain speed going up them, trucks can’t. Anticipate their slow-down to avoid
the need to slam on your brakes or cutsharply into the passing lane, both of
which can cause accidents with other motorists.
No. 5: Cut them some slack. Merging or changing lanes and turning can be
difficult for trucks, so don’t try to push past trucks trying to change lanes or
merge. Instead, slow down and let them in; flash your lights to let them know you
are leaving them room to move over. Also, don’t try to undercut trucks trying to turn
as they have a wider turn radius compared to other automobiles.
Even if you follow all the rules of the road and keep all these tips in mind when
you are driving around trucks, accidents can happen. Give us a call today. We
can review your automobile policy now to make sure you have the necessary coverage in the event that you are involved in an automobi