For most people who have ever driven on a road in the United States of America, they will more than likely have had a close encounter with a large 18 wheeler truck or actually seen an accident happen. Such an experience is very scary and is one that you would want to avoid at all costs as there is only ever one winner when a 40+ ton truck is involved in a collision with another vehicle.
This is backed up by the latest statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) which shows that on average, there are thirteen truck crashes that are fatal for every one million people that live in the United States of America. Of these fatal truck accidents, thirteen percent happened on rural highways, twenty seven percent on interstate highways, and fifty seven percent on rural roads.
The main reason as to why truck accidents are so dangerous is because of how big and heavy they are in comparison to other vehicles out on the roads. If you want to avoid becoming another statistic, there are a number of things that you can do as a driver to protect yourself.
Keep clear of their blind spot
One way of knowing if you are in a truck’s blind spot is by looking at its side mirrors – if you can see the face of the driver then he / she can see you when making a maneuver or changing lanes. Because of the big blind spot that large trucks have, you should always aim to pass them on the side of the driver.
Pass at speed
When it is clear that there is a space in front of a truck, be sure to pass the vehicle quickly. After all, given the big blind spot that a truck has, you do not want to linger when driving by the side of a truck in case the driver decides to change lanes or make some sort of maneuver. There is also the risk of a tire blowing out, which does happen regularly, and so you do not want to be at the side of a truck when this happens.
Drive to the weather conditions
There is the propensity for storms to hit all parts of the United States of America and in some instances can do so very quickly, so you need to be aware of this fact whilst out driving on the open road. For this reason, it is helpful to check the weather forecast before heading out on a long trip that requires driving on rural roads in particular.
If you are unfortunate enough to have been involved in an accident on the road with a truck and it was not your fault, you may want to think about getting in contact with and appointing an 18 wheeler accident lawyer who can represent you legally and ensure that you get the financial compensation that you deserve for the injuries sustained and for the damage done to your vehicle.
