Commercial trucks do not have a lot of positives going for them from a safety perspective. Truck drivers tend to be sleep-deprived and fatigued putting them at risk of getting into crashes. The trucks themselves are heavy, slow to maneuver and slow to brake and accelerate. The one thing they do have going for them, however, is that state and federal laws regulate trucks to ensure they meet high safety standards.
In order to counteract the inherent dangers associated with big rigs, it’s important for vehicle drivers and truck drivers to take care when driving semitrucks and when around semitrucks on the highway. Here are some of the most important truck safety advice in this regard:
Be careful in the evening
Vehicle drivers and truck drivers alike need to take special care while driving in low light conditions. Wear glasses at night if your vision is poor, and don’t drive at night if you’re feeling fatigued as you could fall asleep behind the wheel.
Give trucks lots of space
The more space truck drivers have between themselves and other vehicles, the more time they’ll have to maneuver and speed up or slow down to match the flow of traffic. Truck drivers should never tailgate or be followed too closely themselves.
Drive predictably
Sudden movements are not good for semitrucks, as they could lose control and even tip over. Vehicle drivers should operate their cars in a predictable fashion and avoid sudden or jerky lane changes. Semitruck drivers and vehicle drivers should also adhere to the posted speed limits.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how much safety advice is out there — and it doesn’t matter how many regulations lawmakers create — if drivers don’t follow these recommendations and rules, the dangers will still persist. If you were injured in a semitruck crash, make sure you examine the facts and evidence surrounding your collision and resulting injuries to determine if any party may have been negligent in causing the incident.
Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed