No one really wants to drive in close proximity to a commercial truck, but avoiding this altogether is unlikely. Every time you take to the road, especially the highway, you’re likely to find yourself sharing the road with these large vehicles.
You don’t have any control over commercial truck drivers, but there are personal steps you can take to enhance your safety and avoid an accident. Here are some of the things you need to do:
- Leave more space: The more space you leave between your vehicle and commercial trucks, the safer you’ll be. There is no such thing as too much space, so don’t be afraid to go overboard. This way, if the trucker makes a rash decision, such as changing lanes without using a signal, you’re in position to avoid trouble.
- Make yourself visible: There are no two ways about it. Commercial trucks are big. This makes it difficult for truckers to keep your vehicle in sight, especially if you’re driving in their blind spot. If you have to drive closely to a commercial truck, don’t do so directly next to or behind it for an extended period of time.
- Take care when passing: It can be frustrating to find yourself driving slowly behind a commercial truck for an extended period of time. When you finally get your chance to pass it, do so with caution. This means using the left lane, using a turn signal and leaving enough space when you pull back in front of the truck. Unsafe passing, both by passenger vehicles and commercial trucks, is a top cause of highway motor vehicle accidents.
Even if you take these steps, a commercial trucker could still make a mistake that causes an accident. From reckless driving to distracted driving, from illegal passing to improper merging, there are many causes.
If you’re injured in a car-truck accident, calling 911 is the best thing you can do. This allows an ambulance to quickly respond to the scene, which will hopefully lead to the stabilization of your injuries.
Once you receive initial treatment, understand your injuries and have a plan for making a recovery, contact your insurance company and look into all of your options for obtaining compensation.