Every year, individuals and families across the country hop into their vehicles with one main mission—a road trip. Sometimes a road trip may just be crossing state lines to reach a destination, while for others, the trip itself may be the real “destination”. Whatever the reason for your trip, if you plan to spend a lot of time on America’s highways and interstates, it is important to understand how to safely share the road when traveling next to large commercial trucks. Large trucks tend to make many motorists nervous due to how noisy they can be and their overall larger size. Not to mention, driving next to a large truck can be downright dangerous.
According to the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 4,000 people were killed and more than 100,000 people were injured in 2012, in accidents involving large commercial trucks. However, since large trucks on the roads are as common as children on a playground, it is important for all motorists to learn how to safely drive next to large trucks and “share the road.” You can help your keep you and your passengers out of harm’s way when traveling next to large commercial trucks by simply following these safety tips:
- Exercise patience and caution when passing a large truck: Large commercial trucks, by their very nature, are quite large. Therefore, it will take you a longer time to pass a large truck than it would a regular passenger vehicle. When traveling at the posted interstate speed limit, it can take close to a half minute to pass a large truck. So the best advice when passing a large truck is to give yourself additional time to pass. Also do not be in a rush to change lanes. After passing a large truck only switch back to the lane, when you can see front of the truck in your driver’s rearview mirror.
- Make it easier for a large truck to pass you: It can be an unnerving feeling when you realize a large trucks is trying to pass you, especially if you are in a small or compact car. However, it is important to resist the temptation to speed up in an attempt to discourage the truck from passing you. Rather, the safest thing to do is to allow the truck to pass you. By reducing your speed somewhat and moving over to the right most part of your lane, you can actually help the truck pass you more quickly and safely.
- Inclines or hills require additional space: Another scary spot to find yourself is behind a truck on a sharp incline or hill when the truck has come to a complete stop. There is always the potential for the truck to roll back slightly when the driver takes his foot off the break and begins to accelerate. Understand that this can happen—be smart and always allow plenty of space between your vehicle and the truck in front of you.
- Be aware of a large truck’s four “no-zones”: Large trucks have four large blind spots, often referred to as “no zones.” The largest of these four zones is on the right (or passenger) side of the truck. The best rule of thumb to follow, is that if you cannot see a truck’s mirrors then the driver of the truck cannot see you.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries after being involved in a crash with a large truck, the seasoned Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. can help. Our team of experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys will make sure that your rights are protected and that you receive the compensation you deserve. The team of Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys at the Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. have helped countless injured victims around the area, both in Kansas and Missouri. To find out how the attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. can assist you, call our office today at (816) 472-4673 to schedule an initial consultation. At Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. we look forward to providing injury victims with top-notch legal services.