How to Share the Road with Semi-trucks
_1254_837_60.jpg)
Sharing the roads safely and properly is of utmost importance for truck drivers and non-commercial vehicles. With distracted driving on the rise and adding to already high traffic accident statistics, it’s important to know and remember these tips for sharing the road with semi-trucks and other large vehicles.
Recognize Blind Spots Like passenger vehicles, all four sides of a semi-truck have a blind spot as well (also known as NO ZONES). A good rule of thumb provided by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) is that “if you can’t see the driver’s face, that driver can’t see you.”
Give Them Space Driving close to a semi-truck puts your vehicle at risk if a dangerous situation occurs like the need to quickly swerve, tire blowouts, or even roll overs caused by strong wind. Best practice is to also make sure to allow for at least a four-second following distance when behind a semi-truck in case they need to make a sudden stop.
Pass Carefully When you are passing a truck, make sure to get far enough ahead of the truck that you can see the front of their vehicle in your rear view mirror, before you change lanes. If possible, always pass a truck on the left because, as you’d expect, the right, non-driver side is tougher for drivers to see a passing vehicle. Best practice when passing a truck is to maintain your speed and get by the truck as soon as possible. Don't hang out in the "No Zones".
The bottom line is that NTB Trucking cares about the safety of motorists, truck drivers, and anyone else who uses public roadways. To learn more about NTB Trucking, what our company stands for, and how we do business, check out our website for more information.