It's easy to blame truck drivers, but in fact, most of them are careful and experienced professional drivers. Of course, there are exceptions, but for the most part, they drive responsibly, as their livelihoods depend on them getting their freight safely to its destination and on time. Indeed, tractor trailers carry nearly 30 percent of all the cargo shipped in the United States.
Each year about 5,000 fatalities due to accidents involving semi trucks are recorded, and the vast majority of those fatalities are suffered by occupants of passenger vehicles thatcollided with trucks. If you're regularly on roads that you must share with tractor trailers, following are some driving tips that can help you and your passengers stay safe.
Don't ride in the trucker's blind spots
Trucks have blind spots to the right and rear of the vehicle; on the right front cover; and on the mid-left side of the truck. Stop for a second to visualize those spots on a truck, so the next time you're driving near one, you can instantly see where the blind spots are.
If you want to pass a truck, do it as swiftly and safely as possible. Don't ride alongside a truck with your cruise controlset at about the same speed the truck is traveling.
Use this rule of thumb: if you can't see the truck driver in his mirrors, he probably can't see you either.
Don't cut off a truck
Don't squeeze in front of a truck ---- and especially don't do it and then hit your brakes to make a turn (oh yeah, truckers just love that little maneuver). Trucks can take as much as three times the distance to stop as the average passenger car. You're risking your own life by cutting off a truck and then slowing down in front of it, noted Michael Taylor of the Tractor Trailer Training Program at Triton College, River Grove, Ill. Instead, put on your turn signal, wait for the truck to pass you, and then move into the lane when it's clear.
Be patient while a trucker is maneuvering to park
"It takes time and concentration to back up a 48-foot trailer without hitting anything," noted Taylor, who gave his thoughts to automotive website Edmunds.com (See "How to Share the Road With Truckers"). "Sometimes a truck driver needs to make several attempts to reverse into tight quarters. Keep your cool, and let the trucker do her job."
Understand the difficulty of driving a truck on hills
The driver of a fully loaded tractor trailer must slow down significantly while going up a hill. Then on the other side of the hill, the trucker gathers speed quickly, using that speed to help get the vehicle up the next incline. "Don't sit in the passing lane going the speed limit," advised Taylor. "Let the truck driver pass, and let Highway Patrol worry about citing the trucker for breaking any speed laws."
Give the trucker room
How easily could you maneuver a 22-foot tractor and 48-foot trailer into traffic? It's not a fun job. "If a trucker has his turn signal blinking, leave room for him to merge or change lanes. Indicate your willingness to allow the truck in by flashing your lights," Taylor advised.
By taking just a few simple and common-sense steps to protect yourself and your passengers, you can share the road safely with large trucks.
Three common types of accidents
The following are the most frequently recorded types of crashes involving heavy trucks:
- Crashes caused by a truck's inability to stop in time.
- Crashes caused by a motorist trying to pass a truck on the right while the trucker is making a right-hand turn (also known as the "right-turn squeeze").
- Crashes caused by a motorist riding in the trucker's blind spots.
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