Passenger vehicle operators – not truck drivers – cause approximately 70 percent of all fatal crashes involving a car and commercial truck, according to federal government statistics.
Most accidents are the result of an unsafe driving act, such as following a truck too closely or lingering in its blind spot.
The following precautions will help you safely share the road with large trucks:
* Beware of blind spots. Approximately 35 percent of truck-related auto fatalities occur in a truck’s blind spots. Tractor trailers have very large blind spots -; as much as 30 feet behind the truck. Always try to pass on the left side; the blind spot on the right side is much larger (running the length of the truck and extending out nearly three lanes).
* Stay back. When following a truck, try to maintain a distance of 20 to 25 car lengths. Driving too closely behind a truck gives you little or no time to react to changing conditions.
* When passing a truck, do not loiter in the blind spot. Before moving back into the truck’s lane, be sure you can see its headlights in your rearview mirror. Most fully-loaded semi trucks driving at...