Tractor-trailers flying down the highway are like gigantic moving wrecking balls with the potential to destroy anything in their path. They are also critical to the healthof our economy, providing an efficient way to distribute products from one end of the country to the other.
So despite what your personal feelings may be about these monsters and the people who drive them, you really have no choice but to learn to coexist with them on our roads. If you follow the advice given below, your chancesof being in an accident involving a semi truck will be greatly reduced.
==> Stay a good distance behind a semi truck in the same lane. You will not be able to see what is in front of the truck. If traffic ahead is slowing down considerably or there is debris in the road, you won't know it. The more distance there is between you and the truck in frontof you, the better you will be able to adjust to a sudden decline in traffic speed or obstacles in the road.
==> When passing a semi truck on the highway, if at all possible, pass on the left side. The drivers of large trucks have very little visibility on their right side, so there is a large blind spot on that side that you definitely want to stay outof. One of the primary rules of driving is that slower drivers stick to the right, so that faster drivers can pass on the left. If, by chance, there is a slow truck in frontof you in the left-hand lane, it is a much more prudent course of action to wait until the truck gets over into the right-hand lane, rather than taking the aggressive approach of passing on the right.
==> Don't drive right next to a tractor trailer. Instead, either get by it or fall behind it. If you decide to move on by, don't drive at a dangerous speed, but don't mess around. Get around the truck at a quick yet safe pace. If you get behind him, slow down to let the truck move ahead a safe distance (see rule number one).
==> At intersections where semi trucks are turning toward you from another direction, stay farther back from the end of your lane where you normally would to allow extra room for the truck to get around you without hitting you. Have you ever noticed that tractor trailers are really long? Give them some room!
==> Give semi trucks plenty of room to stop in their lane. If you are in stop-and-go traffic, or in a situation where you see a stop coming up, do not turn into asemi truck's lane unless you are allowing room enough for a forty ton vehicle to come to a stop.
Really, this is all common sense. Unfortunately, a lot of times on the road, when everyone is in a hurry trying to get somewhere, common sense flies out the window like an old piece of paper. Don't take chances with your life! Tractor trailers are very large vehicles that start slow, stop slow, and weigh enough to crush you in an instant. It all comes down to respect. Show these vehicles respect by keeping in mind the difficulty they have navigating our roads, and you will be much less likely to be injured in accident.
Resource: How Cars and Semi Trucks Can Coexist on the Same Roads
So despite what your personal feelings may be about these monsters and the people who drive them, you really have no choice but to learn to coexist with them on our roads. If you follow the advice given below, your chancesof being in an accident involving a semi truck will be greatly reduced.
==> Stay a good distance behind a semi truck in the same lane. You will not be able to see what is in front of the truck. If traffic ahead is slowing down considerably or there is debris in the road, you won't know it. The more distance there is between you and the truck in frontof you, the better you will be able to adjust to a sudden decline in traffic speed or obstacles in the road.
==> When passing a semi truck on the highway, if at all possible, pass on the left side. The drivers of large trucks have very little visibility on their right side, so there is a large blind spot on that side that you definitely want to stay outof. One of the primary rules of driving is that slower drivers stick to the right, so that faster drivers can pass on the left. If, by chance, there is a slow truck in frontof you in the left-hand lane, it is a much more prudent course of action to wait until the truck gets over into the right-hand lane, rather than taking the aggressive approach of passing on the right.
==> Don't drive right next to a tractor trailer. Instead, either get by it or fall behind it. If you decide to move on by, don't drive at a dangerous speed, but don't mess around. Get around the truck at a quick yet safe pace. If you get behind him, slow down to let the truck move ahead a safe distance (see rule number one).
==> At intersections where semi trucks are turning toward you from another direction, stay farther back from the end of your lane where you normally would to allow extra room for the truck to get around you without hitting you. Have you ever noticed that tractor trailers are really long? Give them some room!
==> Give semi trucks plenty of room to stop in their lane. If you are in stop-and-go traffic, or in a situation where you see a stop coming up, do not turn into asemi truck's lane unless you are allowing room enough for a forty ton vehicle to come to a stop.
Really, this is all common sense. Unfortunately, a lot of times on the road, when everyone is in a hurry trying to get somewhere, common sense flies out the window like an old piece of paper. Don't take chances with your life! Tractor trailers are very large vehicles that start slow, stop slow, and weigh enough to crush you in an instant. It all comes down to respect. Show these vehicles respect by keeping in mind the difficulty they have navigating our roads, and you will be much less likely to be injured in accident.
Resource: How Cars and Semi Trucks Can Coexist on the Same Roads
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