It’s important to drive properly when you’re near an 18-wheeler, as an accident between a large truck in your vehicle is more likely to lead to severe injuries for you. In a case in which a large truck hits a passenger car, the damage is generally more severe to the passenger car. Your first priority should always be safe driving.
To this end, it’s worth considering some of the common mistakes that people tend to make. When you understand how to avoid these mistakes, you can decrease the odds of being involved in an accident.
Cutting off a truck at a stoplight
First of all, some drivers will accidentally cut off a semi at a stoplight. They will see the truck slowing down on a multi-lane road, and they will think that the space in front of the truck is large enough for them to merge into that lane. They will then do so, not realizing that trucks have longer stopping distances and that the truck now will not be able to stop before it strikes them.
Driving in the blind spots
It is often best to simply pass a truck as soon as you can if you’re driving on the interstate, or to keep your distance behind the truck when you’re on a normal two-lane road. Semis have a lot of blind spots, including directly in front and behind, as well as on the sides near the back corners. If you let your car sit in one of these blind spots for too long, there’s a chance you’ll be hit because the driver may not have any idea that your vehicle is there.
Forgetting about wide turns
A semi-truck always has to make a wide turn. The cab of the truck can just turn so much quicker than the trailer, so the driver has to swing out wide in order to get the trailer around the corner without going over the curb. Other drivers are sometimes hit when they see that extra space on the right side of the truck and they move up into it, and then the trailer swings sideways into their car.
What if you still get injured?
Understanding what mistakes to avoid is a great first step, but truck drivers can also make mistakes and cause severe accidents. If you are seriously injured, you need to know how to seek financial compensation.