Safety Tips for Driving Near Trucks

On your morning commute, you may find yourself sharing the road with several 18-wheelers. Experienced drivers know the importance of practicing defensive driving techniques, which is especially important when the vehicle next to yours is more than three times as big. Include a safe following distance among essential car travel tips.

Make sure you don't drive in a trucker's blind spot. These expansive carriers have much larger blind spots than a standard-sized car. Avoid driving in the regions to the right-rear, mid-left and right-front of a nearby truck. Only pass when you have enough space and time, so you don't get caught cruising in an area that is hard for the other driver to see.

If you need to make a turn, don't cross in front a truck and then quickly brake because it won't be able to stop in time. On average, trucks need three times more distance to stop than passenger vehicles.

When you notice a 22 or 48-foot tractor trying to merge onto the highway, you can flash your headlights to indicate that you will wait to allow the truck to cross in front of you.

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