Special licenses are mandatory for large trucks and commercial vehicles primarily because these vehicles possess three significant operational restrictions, such as extensive blind spots and long braking distances, together with limited maneuverability capabilities. Always be mindful of your safety since driving close to these vehicles demands additional alertness. This article gives essential driving recommendations with safety leading the way.
Table of Contents
Avoid all distractions
As a rule: Everyone should avoid driving while distracted at all times since truck safety risks are not a requirement to maintain focus on driving. Your attention will be diverted from the road while reaching for an item inside your car or your phone to quickly read a text message, thus making you unable to respond in time to avoid collisions. In fact, distracted drivers caused more than 3,000 fatal accidents in 2022.
Be vigilant during your drive while maintaining special observation of the trucks present on the road with you. Being prepared for possible faults allows you to respond more efficiently to situations.
Maintain safe following practices
The distance you should follow behind the vehicle matters regardless of conditions, yet it becomes crucial when driving behind semi-trucks or other enormous vehicles.
Drivers of trucks remain unable to predict numerous events that can occur, even though they have visibility of approaching vehicles. Vehicle damage through debris becomes a risk when you drive close behind a vehicle, while the trailer of a tractor-trailer poses a risk of insufficient braking time when drivers need to brake unexpectedly.
Pass only when it’s safe to do so
Due to their large proportions, commercial trucks maintain significantly bigger blind spot areas than cars do. A truck driver stands an increased likelihood of missing your presence adjacent to their vehicle when they need to switch lanes.
When passing trucks on interstate roads, avoid waiting at the back of their cargo area unless necessary.
Make quick, safe passes from the driver’s side. Maintain a safe distance from the back of its cargo while driving behind the truck when you encounter rainy or snowy conditions with slippery roads.
Be prepared to stop at any time
The space between you and a large truck should remain adequate since drivers must occasionally brake suddenly. When a truck trails behind you, there is a dangerous situation.
Safety allows you to stop your vehicle on the shoulder when you have no other option except for emergencies. The desire to proceed needs early braking applications while you consider the vehicles in your path.
Truck motorists need significantly longer distances to halt their vehicles when compared to most cars.
Use the appropriate level of headlights
Nighttime drivers must activate their headlights for visibility, but should never use high-beam headlights when either behind or passing a large commercial semi-truck. Heavy vehicle illumination produces a temporary blindness to drivers while the vehicle covers the distance of a football field in seconds, therefore creating dangerous situations that could lead to fatal collisions. Using high beams should only take place when your path ahead remains completely empty.
The Bottom Line
The economy depends upon big rigs to transport goods from place to place across the country. Truck drivers encounter vehicles of numerous sizes, but large trucks are certain to enter your path when driving on roads. The size and heavy weight of these vehicles create a fatal potential for accidents. One dangerous stretch of highway in California, Highway 101 in Los Angeles County saw 65 serious truck accidents in 2023.
Driving safety for yourself requires learning proper methods of road-sharing with large trucks, since this prevents dangerous accidents.
