7 Tips for Sharing the Road with Semi Trucks
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Summary: Collectively, semi-trucks travel about 140 billion miles per year delivering goods in the United States. One-third of all U.S. semi trucks are registered in Florida, Texas and California.
Collectively, semi-trucks travel about 140 billion miles per
year delivering goods in the
Tip 1 – Do Not Drive in a Trucker’s Blind Spots
Semi-trucks have 4 blind spots. They are located:
2. On the driver’s side there is a blind spot that begins in the lane immediately to the left of the truck that begins at the cab door and extends 1/3 of the way down the trailer;
3. Directly in front of the cab; and
4. To the right of the cab, there is a large blind spot which makes prolonged travel or passing in this lane dangerous.
It is dangerous to be in any of these blind spots because the truck driver cannot see you and if it becomes necessary for the truck to change lanes or stop, the driver will not be able to see cars travelling in one of his blind spots.
Tip 2 – Do not Follow too Closely
Following too closely presents challenges for the trucker
and the motorist alike. Motorists should
always allow at least 5 seconds between the car and the tractor trailer. This gap can be measured by starting a count
when the truck passes a stationary object.
Count 1 Mississippi, 2
Tip 3 – Do Not Linger Near Trucks
Do not linger behind or beside semi-trucks. Lingering leaves you more likely to be in a truck driver’s blind spot. Truck drivers attempt to vigilantly monitor cars which may be in their blind spots, but sometimes they will lose track of a vehicle, especially if that vehicle has remained in a blind spot for an extended period of time. Riding side by side with a semi also leaves the motorist vulnerable to sudden lane changes made of necessity or truck rollovers. Trucks seem big, heavy and generally immovable, but the truth is that a tractor trailer can be blown over by a stiff wind. Take a look at this YouTube video showing this very phenomenon.[1]
Tip 4 – Do Not Cut Off Trucks
A truck takes twice as long to stop when travelling at highway speeds when compared to a car. This means that if you cut off a truck while braking, the truck may be unable to stop before crashing into your car. Remember trucks can weigh 80,000 pounds. Bringing a fully loaded or even overloaded truck to a complete stop is a time and space consuming task. Therefore, you should always be cognizant of the space you are allowing truck drivers in which to maneuver.
Tip 5 – Do Not Pass or Ride in the Lane to the Right of a Truck
There are least two reasons to refrain from driving in the lane to the right of a truck. These reasons include:
1. There is a large blind spot to the right of truck which prevents the truck driver from seeing your vehicle. This makes passing on the right particularly dangerous, as the driver may not see the car and may change lanes before the pass is completed; and
2. When trucks make a right hand turn they must make a wide turn to avoid hitting the curbs, poles, etc. You do not want to be sandwiched between an 80,000 tractor trailer and a pole.
Tip 6 – Have Patience and Signal Your Intentions
Everyone has been caught behind a truck that pulled into your lane and cut you off to pass another vehicle. It is frustrating and annoying. Please remember that truck drivers are not usually trying to annoy you, they are simply executing a pass and are prevented from doing so by a hill or some other factor which causes a loss of momentum which prevents them from maintaining the speed necessary to execute the pass. Tailgating, honking and flashing lights will not speed up the situation and will unnecessarily endanger you.
When driving around semi-trucks, it is best to signal your intentions. If you are going to pass, use your signals in advance so that the trucker has the opportunity to see and anticipate your maneuver. If a big rig is attempting to pass your vehicle, as a courtesy, flash your lights when the truck driver is clear to return to your lane. Communication will assist the truck driver in his decision making and make the highways safer for everyone.
Tip 7 – Do Not Drive Distracted
This tip applies anytime you are behind the wheel, but doubly so when travelling on the interstate amongst the trucks. Trucks are big and occupy a lot of space. This means that, as the driver of a car, you will likely lose any interaction with a truck. It is, therefore, extremely important to have 100% focus at all times. Texting, talking on a cell phone and eating are all distractions that should be avoided.
Have you or a loved one been injured in an accident? Contact an experienced
Whether you were a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or the occupant
of car, motorcycle or boat and have been injured in an accident, you should
immediately call an experienced personal injury attorney in
The Law Offices of Bobby Jones
6570 30th
Avenue North
http://bobbyjoneslaw.com/personal-injury/
[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymd_qvfus7A