How To Drive Safe Around Semi Trucks

While the accident rate in the United States is much lower than it was a generation ago, accidents are still unfortunately an everyday occurrence. In Florida alone there were over 400,000 car crashes in 2018. One of the best ways you can help lower that number is by learning what to look out for when you’re in various driving situations. Since semi trucks have limited responsiveness when they are at highway speeds, you can help truck drivers and other motorists by learning how to give these trucks the extra attention that will help you spot their moves when they might not spot you.

Passing

In many areas, trucks regularly go slower than the pace of commuter traffic. This can make for frustration when one decides to pass another, because it can slow down both lanes of traffic. As a result, a lot of people try to beat the semi by passing quickly after its turn signal goes on. This can cause an issue of visibility, because you can easily slip into a blind spot while the driver is double-checking if you bolt alongside the truck after it has begun to make a lane shift. Similarly, if you pass a truck slowly enough, you could wind up lost in its blind spot when it changes lanes. Pass quickly, and only when the truck is not trying to change lanes.

Lighting

High beam headlights can temporarily blind truck drivers, leading to their being unable to see upcoming obstacles or other vehicles. The worst part is when the truck driver loses track of traffic lanes, because it can cause the entire rig to go off-road, which is typically an expensive mistake to fix. Often, this causes a larger accident. If a pile-up caused by other drivers being incautious catches you, an accident attorney Tampa may be your best way to resolve the situation, but a better way would be for more commuters to show semi trucks the respect they need for safety’s sake. Avoiding high beam lights around big trucks shouldn’t be a hard thing to do for most drivers, since those trucks are often well-lit themselves and easy to spot.

Stopping

It’s never good when you need to stop on an interstate or highway, but it is downright dangerous to do so when you’re in a lane of traffic. Truck drivers and other motorists will not always be free to pass, and if you are around a bend or over a hill, you might fall into a blind spot that doesn’t give approaching vehicles time to stop. Make sure you pull out of traffic and onto a shoulder before stopping if at all possible, it could save you from a much more serious problem on the road.