SHARING THE ROAD WITH TRUCKS

It’s a universal fact: no one likes sharing the road with semi-trucks. Unfortunately, we’re stuck with them. In order to make the best out of a bad situation, here are our top tips for sharing the road with giant, scary trucks. Follow these and you won’t be part of the 80% of passenger vehicles that cause the accident with the truck.

1. Avoid blind spots. If the driver of the truck can’t see you in his mirrors, you don’t exist. Make sure you have a clear view of the driver’s mirror when riding near a truck. And in case of an accident, consider consulting a truck accident attorney for legal assistance.
2. Don’t hang out near the truck. Either hang back, with at least 4 seconds of braking distance, or safely pass the truck and move on.
3. Don’t cut trucks off. Physics are not on a truck’s side when it comes to stopping. An average truck needs more than double the stopping distance needed by a standard passenger vehicle.
4. Signal early. If you are passing a truck and want to reenter its lane, let your signals flash a few extra seconds to give the driver time to prepare for your lane entry.
5. The hardest rule of all – be patient. Take your time to wait for the safest opportunity to navigate around a large truck. Rushing to sneak behind it while it’s backing up is just a recipe for disaster.

Graphics and more examples can be found at Visual.ly.