A truckload of information

Truck B. SpotWe’ve seen this happen almost every day of our lives, but will it ever end? I’m referring to the drivers of large trucks being cut off by drivers. I often wonder why someone would put their lives at stake like that. Maybe they never really thought of the consequences to their actions.

I’ve often seen how a driver of a car will hover around the truck like a blanket around a child and when they’re given a chance, will dive directly in front of the truck. There’s a huge blind area around the truck and that makes it difficult for the driver of the truck to not only see the vehicle, but also the brake lights of the vehicle. If the driver of the car cut in front and then hit their brakes, a crash would be more than certain.

We need to respect the drivers of large trucks and give them as much space as possible. Trucks with a large, covered trailer can be a hidden danger to most drivers. Drivers wouldn’t know if the trailer was empty or full. So, because of this, treat the drivers of trucks the same; whether the trailer is empty or full. That is; give them space and time to respond to you and your brake lights.

I learned at a very early stage in my driving career that heavier vehicles take a lot longer to stop. After driving my dad’s small hatchback, I would get into his larger car and tow a camper. The car had been packed with camping gear and the first time I had to brake to stop, I almost missed the stop. I realized that I needed more time to slow down and stop because the heavier load. Truck drivers need the same, so give them a chance.

To allow the driver of a truck to know that you’re behind them, ensure that you can see the side mirror of the truck. If you can’t see the mirror, they most likely can’t see you and your vehicle. If you also increase your following distance to see their mirror, it will help you look further up the road to help anticipate potential problems. There’s also a blind area on the front right side of the truck. Avoid staying anywhere near the side of a truck, especially that side. If they had to switch lanes suddenly, you’ve got nowhere to go and the driver of the truck may not have seen you move up to the front of their vehicle.

Another danger is to be immediately in front of the truck. The driver of the truck wouldn’t necessarily see your brake lights if you hit them suddenly and with medium pressure. This would most certainly cause a major crash. Keep additional space between you and the truck behind you by either accelerating enough so you can see the entire windshield of the truck behind through your rear view mirror; or by changing lanes.

We must also remember that a truck regularly passes in the centre lane on a freeway, so if you’ve got a truck approaching you from behind, change lanes to the right. We’ll never get rid of trucks, so let’s learn to work together for a safer road. They’ve got my respect!