You are highly likely to be around a truck when driving. It may be ahead, behind or next to your vehicle. So, how can you safely handle such a situation?
It can be very intimidating to navigate the road when you’re near a large commercial vehicle. Here are three tips for sharing the road with a truck:
1. Know their operating restrictions
Every driver should know trucks’ blind spots, maneuverability and stopping distances. Trucks have blind spots immediately in front, directly behind and on the sides. The largest blind spot is on the right side, which can extend diagonally to three lanes of right-hand traffic. Further, trucks have poor maneuverability and long stopping distances due to their size and weight.
Being informed about these operating restrictions can help you make informed decisions when around a truck.
2. Avoid their blind spots
You should always stay out of a truck’s blind spots. If you can’t see a truck driver’s reflection on their side mirror, chances are they can’t see you.
If you are in front of a truck, move ahead to be visible. If you are behind, increase the safe following distance. If you are on the side, slow down to avoid ending up in a blind spot and keep confirming you can see the driver in their side mirror.
3. Be careful when overtaking
When it’s safe to overtake a truck, signal clearly, move into the left lane and accelerate to pass it safely and quickly. Drive ahead until you can see it in your rearview mirror before returning to your lane. Even when it’s safe, avoid overtaking a truck when the driver is likely to increase speed, for example, when approaching a hill/downgrade.
You can safely share the road with trucks. If a truck driver hits you, obtain adequate information about the instance to protect your rights.