Sharing The Road With Trucks

In a recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, it was found that of all truck related car fatalities, 75% were car initiated.

Stay out of the no zones:

• Rear: If you can’t see the trucks outside mirrors, the driver can’t see you.
• Sides: If you can’t see the drivers face in the mirror, he can’t see you.

Here are some tips for sharing the road safely with trucks:

• Always pass on the left and don’t move back in front of the truck until you can see the whole front of the truck in your rear view mirror.
• Trucks will swing left to make a right turn so don’t try to pass as you may get sideswiped by the trailer.
• On windy days, never drive alongside a truck for longer than you need to pass it.
• If stopped on a hill behind a truck, it will roll backwards when it begins to accelerate, so leave yourself extra space as a precaution.
• If you’re in front of a truck, never stop abruptly as truck can take twice as long as a regular car to stop.

The Risk of Underride/Override:

• Underride – Cars that rear-end large trucks are at risk of sliding underneath the truck on impact.
• Override – Large trucks that rear-end cars are at risk of driving over top of the car.
• Both scenarios are very grim, and extra precautions are necessary to avoid these scenarios from happening.

Author: Rich Heinrich

Master Instructor, Emeritus