Share the Road with Trucks

There are more large trucks on the road delivering essential items and goods to our homes and businesses than ever before. Being mindful that a large truck operates differently than our cars helps keep our roads safer for everyone.
July 30, 2020 | Auto
By: Lisa D.
Lisa D. has almost 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, including over 15 years at Acuity. Before starting at Acuity, she obtained her P&C license and sold personal insurance. She keeps a pulse on industry trends while continuing to specialize in developing and updating personal auto insurance products. On top of that, Lisa has her Association in General Insurance (AINS) and Associate in Personal Insurance (API) designations. Outside of work, Lisa enjoys cooking, photography, and spending time with her family. The last two go hand in hand, as she takes pictures of her kids every day.

Author of Auto Focus

There are more large trucks on the road delivering essential items and goods to our homes and businesses than ever before. Being mindful that a large truck operates differently than our cars helps keep our roads safer for everyone.

 

How can we safely share the road with trucks? Here are five tips to follow: 

 

  • Make sure they can see you. Large trucks have blind spots around all four sides. If you cannot see their mirror, they cannot see you. When you are driving next to a truck, determine whether it is safe to move past or fall back to get out of their blind spot.   
  • Pass with care. It takes large trucks more time to stop than smaller vehicles. So, when passing a truck, don’t cut right in front of it. Wait at least until you can see the truck’s headlights in your rear-view mirror before returning to their lane. If you need to suddenly slow down or stop, you want them to have enough time to do so as well.
  • Stay back. When following behind a large truck, it’s difficult to see what’s ahead. There may be something on the road, traffic congestion, an animal crossing, or an accident that is obscured by the truck. Give yourself space in case you must react quickly to something unexpected. When you are stopped behind a large truck, allow extra room in case it rolls back when the driver lets off the brake. 
  • Practice patience. Trucks take wider turns, longer to speed up, and more time to park than our day-to-day cars because of their size. Truck drivers are trained to operate these big machines and safety is a top priority. Take a deep breath and let them do their job. 
  • Pay attention. Be alert to your surroundings like weather and road conditions. Large trucks can spray rain, snow, or debris onto your windshield. Wind can make it difficult for trucks, especially those with a lighter load. Tire blowouts happen. Distracted driving is dangerous to everyone.

 

There are several things to be aware of when sharing the road with large trucks. When we all practice safe driving, we all win.

By: Lisa D.
Lisa D. has almost 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, including over 15 years at Acuity. Before starting at Acuity, she obtained her P&C license and sold personal insurance. She keeps a pulse on industry trends while continuing to specialize in developing and updating personal auto insurance products. On top of that, Lisa has her Association in General Insurance (AINS) and Associate in Personal Insurance (API) designations. Outside of work, Lisa enjoys cooking, photography, and spending time with her family. The last two go hand in hand, as she takes pictures of her kids every day.

Author of Auto Focus