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Tips for sharing the road with large trucks

On Behalf of | Jan 10, 2017 | Truck Accidents

Being on a Georgia road with a large truck can be intimidating. Esurance.com reports that the dangers that face car drivers are high, with smaller vehicle occupants accounting for 68 percent of the fatalities in crashes involving large trucks. Part of the reason for this is the differences in the size and weight of the two type of vehicles and how these differences affect operations. There are several things that all drivers can do to safely share the road with large trucks and avoid accidents.

 

First, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that when a large truck is on the road, it is important that motorists remember and follow basic rules of driving, such as not becoming distracted, avoiding drowsy driving and making sure to buckle up. Abstaining from alcohol is also critical, since an accident with a big truck is more likely to result in death or serious injuries for the occupants of the smaller vehicle. Other drivers also need to be patient with large trucks, since their size and weight can make things like starting and stopping take longer than for lighter cars.

 

Those around big trucks face extra dangers in turning lanes. Since some large vehicles require a turning radius of up to 55 feet, they often need to begin their turn from a center lane. Smaller vehicles may see the right lane open and attempt to squeeze through, but doing so can lead to them getting crushed if the truck driver cannot see them.

 

Large trucks also have long blind spots on their sides, front and back. These are very dangerous areas for other car to travel in, so it is important for smaller vehicle drivers to always be sure they can see the truck driver to stay out of blind spots.

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