Tips to Stay Safe while Driving with Big Trucks on the Road
Like most moving companies, Get Your Move On has a lot of trucks on the road every day of the week. It is important that drivers operating a vehicle of any size put road safety as his or her top priority.Our organization places a great deal of emphasis on employee training, especially for drivers. We make sure our vehicles are well maintained, equipped and that our drivers have the knowledge and tools they need to do their jobs well. Although we train our truck drivers as best we can, people driving cars on the road can also contribute to safety. Several of our most experienced truck drivers offered some excellent advice on how people driving cars can make the roads safer by helping out truck drivers.Blind SpotsThe most serious blind spot for a truck driver is on the right side of the truck, which tells you that car drivers should only pass a truck on the left. If you’re thinking about passing a truck, make sure you drive through the area of the blind spot quickly and once you pass, do not slow down.Leave Enough CushionDue to their size, trucks take a lot longer to come to a stop than cars do, therefore when you’re approaching a stop, cutting in front of a truck could easily get you rear-ended. A 40-ton truck going 60 mph might need 120 yards to come to a stop. Before moving your car in front of a truck, make sure you can clearly see the truck’s full front in your rear-view mirror.Trucks Have No Rear-View MirrorsTrucks do not have rear-view mirrors, so truck drivers must rely solely on their front windscreen and both side mirrors to view their surroundings. If you don’t see the driver’s face in the side mirror, then he/she can’t see you. Construction Zones Are More Difficult Construction zones often narrow the usable part of the road, which makes it more difficult for trucks to get around. When driving in a construction zone, do not attempt to cut behind or in front of a truck. It’s important to always keep a safe distance behind any truck.Right Turns Require Extra SpaceBecause trucks are so large, they need more space to navigate a turn. Right turns are especially wide. Truck drivers need enough space on city roads to make those turns, which are much tighter. Give them the space they need so they can more quickly move out of traffic.Lane ChangesIn traffic, cars tend to zoom past trucks to avoid being stuck behind them. When you encounter a truck trying to change lanes in heavy traffic without much space, flash your lights to let the driver know that you are letting him move over.Show PatienceTruck drivers usually drive at a constant speed. They don’t intend for you to get caught behind them, but they are driving as safely as they can. Show some patience and wait until it you are sure it is safe before trying to pass the truck in front of you.
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