What Are the Dangers of Driving Alongside a Truck?
When you’re driving in a regular-sized vehicle, it’s normal to feel some concern while driving alongside a commercial truck. It makes sense—large trucks are up to 30 times bigger than passenger vehicles, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This feeling also makes sense because the fatalities of truck accidents are occupants of passenger vehicles 67 percent of the time, compared to truck drivers who are the victims 16 percent of the time.
If you’ve been involved in a collision with a large truck that wasn’t your fault, then you could use the help of a lawyer. A truck accident attorney from Pittman Roberts & Welsh, PLLC can provide you with the legal representation you need after a crash in Jackson.
Dangers of Driving Beside a Large Truck
The size difference is one of the main dangers of driving alongside a large truck on the road, but there are other dangers to consider so that you can keep yourself and your passengers safe. If you need to pass a truck, it’s important that you do so as quickly and as safely as possible. When you are left to linger beside the trailer, that’s where the danger is.
If you’re beside a truck, it’s likely that you’re in one of their blind spots. This means that the driver can’t see you in the lane next to them, so if they need to change lanes for any reason, they could drive right into you. Additionally, if you need to change lanes for any reason, you could crash into the trailer, or even get into an underride accident where you are stuck under the trailer.
Even if the truck doesn’t need to change lanes, another danger you could face while driving alongside the rig is a tire blowout. Since tractor trailers have so many tires, and they’re typically hauling thousands of pounds of goods, they are more susceptible to tire blowouts. These might not affect the truck, but if you’re driving alongside it in a regular sized vehicle, it could cause an accident for you.
Let’s take a look at how you can avoid accidents with trucks as the driver of a regular sized vehicle.
Tips for Driving Near Trucks
While it can be intimidating and dangerous to share the road with 18 wheelers, there are some ways you can stay safe. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) lists these tips for how to avoid problems between drivers of regular sized vehicles and large trucks:
- Avoid the blind spots, or no zones, surrounding the truck
- Pass safely and quickly, and look for the driver in their mirror
- Never cut a truck off
- Leave plenty of space between you and the 18 wheeler
- Anticipate the truck’s wide turns
- Don’t speed so you have time to react
- Always wear your seatbelt
- Pay attention to the road at all times
- Make predictable decisions while driving so other drivers can anticipate your next move
By following these tips, you can stay as safe as possible on the road and lower the danger of sharing the road with large trucks. Truckers are trained and certified to navigate the road on their large rigs, but sometimes they make mistakes too. That’s why it’s important to always be vigilant and pay attention to what everyone else is doing on the road.
Our Lawyers Can Represent You
At Pittman Roberts & Welsh, PLLC, we understand that collisions with large trucks can be devastating. Not only can they cause you serious physical injuries that change your life, but they can also affect you emotionally and financially. You could even suffer from injuries that keep you from returning to work, leaving you unable to earn the wages you need to support yourself and your family.
Our truck accident lawyer can help you fight for your rights and hold the negligent truck driver, trucking company, or part manufacturer responsible for their actions. We know that you want to get back to normal and financially recover as best as you can. That’s why we’re here to help you. Reach out to our office today so we can start discussing the ways we can help.
