How to avoid an accident with a commercial truck

On Behalf of | Oct 16, 2018 | personal injury

As the driver of a passenger vehicle, there are many things you can do to improve your safety and help avoid trouble on the road. One thing you can’t do, however, is control the decisions made by other people.

Driving in close proximity to commercial trucks is dangerous, as an accident with a larger vehicle almost always results in serious injury.

Here are five things you can personally do to avoid an accident with a commercial truck:

  • Avoid the blind spot: A trucker can’t see you when you’re driving directly behind or next to their vehicle.
  • Don’t make abrupt lane changes: Doing so may cause the trucker to make a fast move, thus losing control of their vehicle.
  • Watch when merging: Unless you have enough time to carefully merge in front of a truck, you should lay off the gas and move into traffic behind them.
  • Think twice before passing: It’s okay to pass a slower-moving truck in the left lane, but you don’t want to do this in the right lane.
  • Never drive between two commercial trucks: If you find yourself in this position, remove yourself as quickly as possible.

By taking these steps, you’ll find it easier to maintain your safety when driving on the interstate with commercial trucks.

If you’re part of a car-truck accident for any reason, call for help and receive immediate medical attention. Along with the information you personally collect, review the police report for a better idea of who was at fault. These details will guide you when filing an insurance claim and attempting to hold the negligent party responsible.