Theoretically, virtually any type of motor vehicle accident has the potential to cause serious harm. That said, numerous factors can influence the odds of an accident causing serious injury or death. One such factor is the size of the vehicles involved in a collision. Quite often, accidents involving trucks and other large commercial vehicles cause serious harm or death when compared to accidents involving smaller vehicles.
Thus, it’s important that you take all necessary steps to reduce your odds of ever being involved in an accident with a truck. Some of these steps are obvious. For instance, you already know it’s important to obey the law and practice general safe driving habits.
However, there are also some safety points you may be less familiar with that can keep you even safer on the road. An example would be understanding how to specifically minimize your chances of being involved in a truck blind spot accident. The following tips will help:
Know where a truck’s blind spots are
As the name implies, a truck’s blind spot is an area where a trucker will have limited or no ability to see another vehicle near them. Generally, a truck’s blind spots include the areas alongside a truck, as well as the areas directly in front of a truck and directly behind it. To the best of your ability, try to avoid lingering in these areas for longer than necessary.
Pass quickly
You should always obey the posted speed limit when driving. This tip is not meant to encourage anyone to speed.
That said, when you are passing a truck, you should try to do so quickly. If you can’t see a trucker in their sideview mirror, that means they also can’t see you. While continuing to operate your vehicle safely, when you find yourself in a blind spot, attempt to get out of it fast.
Don’t return to the right lane immediately after passing a truck
This is an important tip that some drivers overlook or forget about when passing a truck. Because many drivers know that the areas alongside a truck are blind spots, they may sometimes forget that the area directly in front of a truck is also a blind spot. Thus, they might return to their lanes too soon after passing trucks, increasing the chances of an accident occurring.
A good rule of thumb is to not return to your former lane after passing a truck until you can see it’s entire front in your rear view mirror. This indicates you’re now in a safe spot.
Keep your distance
Don’t forget that the area directly behind a truck is another blind spot. When driving behind a large commercial vehicle, maintain an even greater distance between yourself and the vehicle than you would when following a smaller car.
Additionally, it’s helpful to know what to do if you ever are involved in a truck accident. That will hopefully never happen, but if it does, strongly consider reviewing your case with a truck accident attorney to learn if you have grounds to seek compensation.
