Avoid crashes by being safe around large trucks

Truck crashes happen for many reasons. Some drivers get too tired and cross into other lanes. Some are aggressive and travel too closely. Others go off the road due to wind shear and end up causing pile-up collisions when losing control.

The truth is that truck drivers have control of extremely large and heavy vehicles. They have a higher duty of care to those around them because one wrong move could cause complete devastation to others on the roads. While a truck’s driver may be safe in their cab, smaller vehicles could be crushed.

As the driver of a small vehicle, it’s important that you know how to evade large trucks and to avoid crashes with them. Being safe around trucks helps you prevent crashes.

Know the safety rules around large trucks

The first thing to remember is that large trucks are shaped oddly, giving drivers limited visibility. They’re tall and long, so the mirrors can’t see all the way down both sides or to the rear. Try to stay in front of or behind the truck. When you do, keep the mirrors visible. If you can see the mirrors, that means that the driver should be able to see you.

Another important safety tip is to stay several cars’ lengths ahead of the truck. Giving proper space to the truck driver means that they will have more time to slow down if you need to stop. Don’t cut truck drivers off in traffic because if you have to stop suddenly, they may not have time to do so and could hit you.

While many of the crashes that involve trucks are caused by passenger vehicle drivers, others are not. If you’re hit because a driver didn’t see you or was following too closely, you may have a case for compensation.