Every day Connecticut drivers must share the road with trucks and other large vehicles. This can prove deadly in some instances, especially when truckers are careless or exhibit dangerous driving habits. While you can’t always prevent an accident from occurring, there are steps you can take to preserve the safety of yourself and others when sharing the road with large trucks.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, large vehicles like trucks must maneuver differently on the road due to their expansive size. As a result, passenger vehicles should be aware of these differences to be able to respond accordingly. For instance, trucks take much longer to stop than smaller vehicles. That means cutting in front of a truck can prove highly dangerous, as the vehicle may not be able to stop in time.
Blind spots are another concern when sharing the road with larger vehicles. Trucks have several blind spots (such as front, back and both sides of the vehicle), and driving in these areas means that a trucker will mostly likely not see you. You can determine whether you are in a truck’s blind spot by looking at the driver’s side view mirror. If you are unable to see the trucker, he or she will not be able to see you.
Trucks also need a wider area to turn. To this end, you should always be wary when a truck is using its turn signal, and never make any attempt to squeeze past a truck quickly in order to make a turn yourself. You should also be cautious of where you stop when at an intersection. Stopping too close to the intersection itself can prevent large trucks from being able to make a proper turn, and could end in a collision.