Unfortunately, there are many highway accidents involving trucks and cars that can get quite dangerous. Trucking is a very important component of the economy so we have to share the road with them in pretty large numbers. The fact is that truck drivers put a lot of hours in on the road and can be quite tired. It’s easy to make a mistake in these circumstances and sometimes the mistake causes a loss of control and an accident.
There are ways to stay safe when you have to drive on the same roads as big semi-trucks. It takes knowing a few things ahead of time so you are prepared when you get behind the wheel. In this article, we will go over several things to do so you never have to worry about calling truck accident lawyers Austin.
Avoid An Accident
1 – Stay aware of your surroundings
Distracted driving accounts for a large portion of the accidents on the road these days. When you are driving around big rigs, it pays to be extra vigilant and avoid doing anything that will distract you and cause you to lose your focus.
This means that you should never text and drive under any circumstance but especially when you are driving around trucks. When you read a text and respond you can take your eyes off of the road for up to 8 seconds. This is more than enough time for a catastrophe to happen.
The same also goes for eating and drinking while driving. If a truck swerves into your lane on the highway and you don’t have your hands on the wheel then you can’t react in time.
It’s up to you to try to prevent an accident even if it isn’t your fault. By staying aware of what is happening around you then you will be able to react to whatever happens when you’re driving.
2 – Stay out of the blind spot
Big trucks have a few blind spots that make it difficult for them to see where other small cars are around them. They might not see you and decide to change lanes and cause an accident since they couldn’t avoid you. To get around this, make sure to stay out of their blind spot. You will see them clearly marked on the truck with warnings that you can’t be seen by the driver in that area.
3 – Give them space
Driving behind a truck prevents you from being able to see what is happening ahead of it. If they need to brake quickly, then you may not be able to react in time and hit them from behind.
Make sure to give more space than you think you need in case anything happens. You should also not drive right next to a truck even if you aren’t in the blind spot. This gives the truck enough space to recover from a mistake without hitting your car before it has a chance.
Read More
Leave a comment