When you find yourself driving in close proximity to commercial trucks, such as on a local interstate, you must immediately adjust your style to enhance your safety. Failure to do so increases the risk of an accident, which can result in serious injuries.
Since you only have control over yourself, forget about what the truckers are doing for the time being. Instead, focus on the changes you can make to drive in a safe manner. Here’s what you should do:
- Leave more space: When possible, don’t drive too closely to a commercial truck. For example, if you’re behind one, lay back a good distance so you have room to stop should you face an emergency situation.
- Avoid blind spots: Large trucks have many blind spots, especially on their sides. You can’t help but drive in these blind spots at times, but you should avoid doing so for an extended period.
- Only pass in the left lane: A slow-moving truck in the left lane is extremely frustrating, but don’t get so anxious that you attempt to pass it in the right lane. Doing so increases the risk of a crash, such as if the trucker begins to move back into the right lane. Wait for them to move over before accelerating.
- Use turn signals: You want everyone on the road to know what you’re doing, before you do it. And that’s why you should always use turn signals, such as if you’re moving over in front of a truck. Along with this, always leave enough space when making a lane change. You don’t want to force a trucker to grab their brakes, as this could cause an accident.
Even if you do your part in protecting against a car-truck accident, there’s no guarantee of your safety. A crash can cause serious injury, death and extensive damage to your vehicle.
It’s best to first focus on your health and recovery, and then turn your attention to how to best hold the negligent party responsible. Taking the right steps will give you peace of mind, while also positioning you to obtain compensation for your injuries and other losses.