Every time you drive on the highway or in some streets, you will share the roads with huge trucks. As much as trucks are needed to push the economy, there are the most dangerous vehicles on the road. No one loves driving alongside them. Being dangerous is that they are heavy, prolonged, and loaded, thus not easy to control. Also, a truck accident is always catastrophic as it leads to more damages, injuries, and even death.
Therefore, it is essential to always be careful when driving alongside trucks. In addition, there are things you need to observe when driving around trucks as they help a lot in avoiding truck collisions. You have to be aware of the truck’s blind spots, limited maneuverability, and longer stopping distance. Here are some tips to use when sharing the road with huge trucks.
Know the Blind spots
Unlike other smaller vehicles, trucks have many blind spots on each of their sides. One common rule when driving alongside trucks is that you should let the truck driver see you in their side mirror. If you are not visible on the truck driver’s side mirror, the truck driver does not see you. This situation means you have to slow down or speed and pass the truck to avoid staying on the black spot.
As discussed, truck accidents are devastating. You have to try as much to avoid them. However, if the truck driver causes the accident, you should immediately seek compensation to cover the injuries and damages. What are the average truck settlements? This is not an easy question to answer, as average truck accident settlements in Tampa and other regions depend on the injuries sustained and how you present your case. Therefore, it is essential to be careful on the road and get yourself a competent lawyer to help you push your compensation case until fully compensated.
Know How to Pass the Trucks Safely
Most trucks you will find on the road are relatively slow. This means that you will need to pass as many as possible when driving on a busy highway. However, despite them being slow, you have to be very careful when overtaking them. First, you need to ensure that the truck driver sees you in their mirror before overtaking. From there, you can signal and overtake them from the left. Also, while overtaking the trucks, you have to increase your speed to not overstay in their blind spot.
When overtaking trucks, ensure that you are visible on their mirrors. This has to be done before changing lanes to make aware of the truck driver so that they do not change their lanes too when overtaking. If it’s the truck overtaking you, you have to slow down and give them time to change the lanes.
Never cut In front of the Truck
Due to their size, weight, and speed, trucks take longer to stop than other vehicles. You might argue that they have emergency brakes, but that’s not the case with trucks, as they will cover some distance before coming to a complete stop. Also, the driver’s cabin is located high up there, and the driver might fail to see your vehicle on time if you cut in abruptly.
Therefore, it is essential not to cut in front of a truck unless it’s stalled on the road. Even when overtaking, it is essential to drive faster on the overtaking lane before getting back to the truck lane. Ensure there is a comfortable distance between you and the truck before getting back to the lane.
Never Follow a Truck too Closely
When driving on a highway full of trucks, you have to create enough space between you and the trucks. It would be best never to tailgate a truck as you will be on their blind spot, leading to blind spot accidents. One of the most feared road crashes caused by this is getting underneath the truck when it makes an emergency stop. The truck’s underneath is higher than regular vehicles, and you can easily get underneath if tailgating a truck and it makes an emergency stop.
Also, if you are following a truck on a hill, you should create a vast distance between you and the truck in front as sometimes they roll back. Also, it would help if you parked a distance from trucks in an inclined terrain to avoid them hitting your vehicles when they roll back. When you take this measure, the chances of being involved in an accident will be minimal.
As discussed, you will need to pay extra attention when driving or parking near a truck. These monster vehicles can turn an enjoyable trip into a horrific accident if you ignore their presence. You might think that the driver notices your actions, but you are in their blind spot, leading to a devastating situation. Lastly, it’s essential to get yourself a lawyer in a truck accident claim to ensure your injuries are fully compensated.
