Several surveys conducted in the past regarding how drivers feel around a truck have consistently shown that many experience fear. Naturally, it can be intimidating to share the road with a vehicle that’s 20-30 times heavier and substantially higher.
Nonetheless, it’s possible to remain calm and drive safely around a truck. Here is how:
Know a truck’s blind spots
Being fully aware of the location and scale of a truck’s blind spots/no-zones is crucial to staying safe. Trucks have blind spots that are much larger than those of a passenger car.
The right-side blind spot is the largest, spanning multiple lanes and along the entire side of the trailer. The left side blind spot often covers one lane. It extends from the driver’s side mirror to about the middle of the trailer.
In the rear, the blind spot extends to at least 30 feet behind the trailer. It’s important to increase the safe following distance. Lastly, the blind spot immediately in front of a truck can extend approximately 20 feet from the cab.
How to safely pass a truck
Always use the left lane when passing a truck. Before initiating a pass, confirm that you can see the truck driver’s reflection in their side mirror. If you can’t see their face, assume they can’t see you as well.
If you can, signal your intention and accelerate. Do not linger beside it. You want to minimize the time spent in the blind spot. When you pass the truck, keep driving until you can see both of its headlights in your rearview mirror before merging back into the lane.
You can safely drive around trucks. However, your safety also depends on the actions of truck drivers. If a driver acted negligently, harming you, consider legal guidance to understand your options.