It is always best to try to avoid an accident even if you are not the one that would be causing it. When you are on the road you have the responsibility to try to avoid an accident just as you’re responsible for not causing one.
Some call it defensive driving and it is one of the ways to understand when and how an accident is about to occur so you can not be part of it. Even though you would have a case for a car accident lawyer Salt Lake City, it is much better to not be part of the accident, to begin with. In this article, we will go over several ways that you can avoid an accident when there are big trucks around.
1 – Give them space
Since trucks are so big, it is very difficult to understand what is happening ahead of them since you can’t see. This is why you need to give them more space than you normally would if it were a car ahead of you. In case there is an accident and they need to stop quickly, you won’t have as much time to react as you would if you could see beyond the truck.
This extra space will give you options if you need to brake or even swerve off of the road. The last thing you want to happen is to rear-end the truck if you are traveling fast.
2 – Watch their blind spot
There is a saying that most truckers will love to tell you. It’s that if you can’t see their mirrors then they can’t see you. This means that they have a much larger blind spot if you are behind them or if you are to their side.
If you are next to a truck, assume that they can’t see you and pass quickly. Or, you can linger in the adjacent lane and stay well behind them always with the view of their mirror.
If they are going to change lanes and you are in their blind spot, they will not see you and this will cause an accident.
3 – Always use the rest area
If you need to pull off the highway for any reason, make sure to wait until you come across a rest area. This is because trucks are usually traveling in the right-hand lane. With this in mind, it is easy to see how if you are pulled to the side of the highway you could easily be side swiped by a truck.
Getting to the next rest area is essential to staying safe if you need to stop your car on the highway.
4 – Don’t drive distracted
You should never drive while distracted even if there are no trucks around you. This means that you shouldn’t be eating while you are driving, not drinking, or even talking on the phone. The worst thing to do is to text since it is basically as dangerous as drunk driving.
