It is no shock to see large trucks and oversized vehicles on North American roads at any time. For the most part, transport trucks handle a large chunk of the logistics in this part of the world due to the abundance of highways and the distance between major urban centres. As drivers, we should always be aware of the fact that these larger trucks require additional room to navigate on the road. In order to make sure everyone gets where they need to go safely on the road, it is important to be aware of the best practices to follow around all types of vehicles, not just cars. To help you stay safe when sharing the road with big transport trucks, take a look at the following tips from the fleet maintenance experts at Dieseltech.
When Sharing the Road With Large Trucks?
Avoid Blind Spots
Just like a regular-sized car, large transport trucks have blind spots that other drivers need to be aware of. Truck drivers are usually well trained when it comes to the use of their mirrors and signals, but they aren’t able to see everything from their vantage point while driving. Other drivers should always be aware of the location of a truck’s blind spots, and they should always make the effort to stay out of these areas while driving. On a typical 53′ transport truck, the blind spots are located directly behind the trailer, and along the side of the truck at an angle behind the cab. A good visual aid for drivers is to keep the truck’s side mirror visible when the truck is in front of you. If you can see the mirror, the truck driver will be able to see you.
Keep an Eye Out For Turning Trucks
Anticipation is one of the best ways you can stay safe on the road. This is especially true if you see a large transport truck approaching a turn. Since these vehicles are so much bigger, they require extra room to make wide turns. This is especially true when a truck has to make a sharper right turn. If you see a truck about to make a right turn, the worst thing you can do is try to get past it. Give the truck a wide berth, and stay patient while it makes its turn.
Passing
A truck will likely be going slower on the road or highway than you will in your car. That means you will probably want to pass the truck at some point, which is to be expected. Most truck drivers are expecting to be passed on the highway. What they don’t expect is to be cut off by a passing vehicle that should be going much faster. If you intend to pass a truck, make sure to keep up a constant speed as you get out in front. You should also make sure to never cut the truck off, as it is much harder for a truck to slow down when travelling at high speeds. Cutting off a truck is a sure-fire way to cause a major accident, so always make sure you have the opportunity to give the truck plenty of room before you pass.
Give Them Space in Wet Conditions
Trucks can kick up a lot of water and dirt as they rumble down the highway when its raining or snowing. If you happen to drive too close in these conditions, your visibility can suddenly become extremely poor, which can lead to seriously unsafe driving conditions, especially on the highway. When it’s wet on the roads, do your best to give trucks additional room so you don’t have to contend with dirt and debris splashing all over your window. You may even spare yourself from a crack or chip on your windshield.
Sharing the road means keeping an eye out for other drivers. By following these steps, you can help keep everyone safe, so we all get where we need to go without any trouble! If you have any questions about truck blind spots, please contact us.