Truck accidents are one of the deadliest types of motor vehicle accidents on the road. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) most recently published statistics, of the 34,247 fatal crashes on the Nation’s roadways, in 2017, 4,455 or 13.0% involved at least one large truck or bus. (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/2019-pocket-guide-large-truck-and-bus-statistics) Truck accidents are often more deadly than accidents between passenger vehicles because of the size of trucks and buses, obviously, along with the type of cargo hauled, and high speeds on highways.
What can you, as a regular car or SUV driver do to prevent a truck accident? Beyond basic defensive driving, here are a few tips to avoid a potentially fatal encounter with a truck or a bus.
- Always allow more space between you and the truck when your following behind a truck. Trucks and buses limit your visibility of what is ahead of the truck, including slowing cars, roadwork, or other dangerous conditions. Give yourself plenty of reaction time behind a big rig.
- Similarly, leave plenty of space before merging back into lane when you pass a truck. Cutting in front of a large truck or bus is asking for big trouble. Much heavier than a car, a truck needs more distance to stop. Though this may seem obvious, it is frightening how many times we see this type of driving leading to accidents.
- Watch the blind spot! Here is how you know if you are in the trucker’s blind spot: Look at the truck’s side mirrors when you’re alongside the truck. If you cannot see the trucker’s face in the side-view mirror, the driver can’t see you! And, of course, it is always safer to pass a truck on the truck driver’s side. Truck drivers have a much larger blind spot on their passenger side.
- Always be careful where you pull over on a highway. If you need to stop between exits on the expressway, find a wide shoulder, or intended location for stopping. Each year, several accidents occur around the country when a stopped car is side swiped by a passing truck.
- Use caution when a truck is turning, give the trucker plenty of room to maneuver. Trucks need more clearance to turn than cars. Truck drivers have less visibility than car drivers when making those wide turns.
- This should go without saying, but some of us need to be reminded: Playing chicken with a truck is like playing Russian roulette. If you think a truck wants to pass you, let it pass, whether you want it to or not.
- When you pass a truck, pass it quickly. Do not pass a truck when you do not have space ahead to make the move quickly. Hanging out in the lane beside a truck for longer than necessary is inviting trouble. Trucks suffer tire blowouts frequently and can rollover. You do not want to be alongside a truck when that happens.
- Always drive predictably, especially when close to large trucks. Use signals clearly so that a truck driver can see what you intend to do and can adjust their own driving accordingly. Never change lanes or turn without using your signals.
- Of course, you should always avoid distracted driving, stop and rest when you need to and do not use your cellphone. And beyond that – keep your eyes out for others on the road who appear to be on their phones, opening a soda, eating, tired or intoxicated. It is easy to get frustrated by someone who is not driving “right” and want to pass them quickly. Though truckers are normally professional drivers, they operate for long hours, suffer fatigue and are subject to the same human error as the rest of us. You are better off keeping your distance from distracted drivers.
Defensive and preventative driving are your best allies to avoid truck accidents!