Sharing the road safely with eighteen wheelers is an important skill if you’re going to be spending time driving on the highway. It’s important to be aware of any vehicles around you, but very large trucks can pose additional dangers to standard sized vehicles. Eighteen wheelers are also known as semi trucks, big rigs, and trailer trucks, and are responsible for transporting goods across the country. So avoiding them is unlikely if you’re traveling on bigger roads. Instead, take some extra precautions like being aware of their blind spots. When passing, move quickly around them. Always give plenty of warning when braking in front of them. And finally, keep your distance as much as possible. Hopefully, by keeping these safety tips in mind, you can avoid any accidents with big rigs on the road.
Sharing the Road Safely with Eighteen Wheelers and Other Large Vehicles
Be Aware of Blind Spots
Its important to be aware of blind spots when driving near eighteen wheelers. Almost all vehicles have some sort of blind spot, typically on both sides of the car just behind the front windows. Larger trucks have much larger blind spots, so it’s important to avoid staying in them for long. If you cannot see the driver in the side mirror, they cannot see you. Be prepared to tap your horn to let them know you’re there if you see them begin to move over when you’re in their blind spot.
Pass Quickly
Eighteen wheelers are typically much slower than other vehicles on the road, so you’ll likely need to pass them occasionally. Try to wait until you have room to fully get around them before beginning to pass. Always pass on the left side, and get by them as quickly as you can. Most truck drivers are cautions about changing lanes, but they do not have control over things like tire blowouts or large gusts of wind. It’s best to avoid driving right next to them for long if possible.
Leave Time for Braking
Larger vehicles carry more weight, and therefore need a lot more time to brake when traveling at higher speeds. If you are in front of an eighteen wheeler or other large truck, make sure that you avoid slamming on your brakes if at all possible. If you see brake lights ahead of you, leave plenty of time to begin slowing down. That will prevent the truck from running into the rear of your car.
Keep Your Distance
Finally, in general, it’s best to keep your distance when driving close to eighteen wheelers. Drivers are well trained. However, there are some circumstances that they are not able to control. For example, the large pieces of rubber that you often see on highways are actually chunks of hard rubber that fly off of their tires and can cause a lot of damage to your car or windshield. Their tires can also kick up rocks and send them flying into your windshield if you’re traveling too close. Finally, large gusts of wind can cause a truck to sway on the road more than a smaller car.
When traveling on the highway, it’s impossible to fully avoid eighteen wheelers, big rigs, semis, and other large vehicles. And as long as you take some basic precautions, it’s perfectly fine to travel alongside these trucks. But being mindful of how to drive safely around them is important. For example, be aware of how large their blind spots are, and try to avoid driving in them when possible. Pass them quickly on the left side, and also leave plenty of time for braking. Finally, keeping a safe distance from larger trucks is a good idea to avoid hazards like tire blowouts or debris. As long as you stay aware while driving, and avoid distractions, it should be perfectly safe to travel alongside larger vehicles.
