If you have to share the road with semi-trucks, you know that they can be dangerous. They may weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and they take nearly two football fields to come to a stop. Getting involved in an accident with a semitruck means you have a massive risk of suffering serious injuries.
How can you reduce that risk? Below are a few tips for safe driving whenever you’re near a semi.
Watch out for blind spots
One thing to remember is that semi-trucks have numerous blind spots, including those off both sides of the truck. Cars sometimes settle into these areas and then get hit when the semi’s driver merges into their lane, unaware that a vehicle is in the blind spot.
Don’t cut them off at stoplights
Because of their long stopping distances, truck drivers have to start slowing down for stoplights much sooner than passenger cars. This often creates a gap between the truck and the next vehicle. But if drivers cut into this gap, they could be struck when the semi no longer has the distance necessary.
Be wary of wide turns
No matter which direction a semi-truck is turning, it may make an extraordinarily wide turn that can cause an accident. For instance, drivers will sometimes pull up on the right side of a semi that is actually waiting to turn right, thinking that they have space. They can then be hit as the truck turns, and the driver may not even see the car in the blind spot. These types of accidents can also happen when a truck is turning left through an intersection and swings wide, into the oncoming lanes.
If you have suffered injuries in an accident with a large truck, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation for your injuries and losses.