When driving on the freeway, you are at a serious disadvantage if involved in a crash with a larger vehicle. In crashes involving large trucks, the occupants of a car - usually the driver - sustain 78 percent of fatalities.
In order to keep you and your teen safe on the road, you should be extra cautious when driving around large trucks and buses. Sharing the road with larger vehicles can be dangerous if you are not aware of their limitations. Here are a few tips to help you drive safer to prevent a crash and minimize injuries and fatalities if one does occur.
Cutting in front can cut your life short: If you cut in front of another vehicle, you may create an emergency braking situation for the vehicles around you, especially in heavy traffic. Trucks and buses take much longer to stop in comparison to cars. When passing, look for the front of the truck in your rearview mirror before pulling in front, and avoid braking situations.
Watch your blind spots - the "No-Zones": Large trucks have blind spots, or No-Zones, around the front, back, and sides of the vehicle. These No-Zones make it difficult for the driver to see. Avoid being caught in a truck's No-Zones. If you can't see the truck driver in the truck's mirror, the truck driver can't see you.
Avoid squeeze play: Be careful of trucks making wide right turns. If you try to get in between the truck and the curb, you'll be caught in a "squeeze" crash. Truck drivers sometimes need to swing wide to the left in order to safely negotiate a right turn. They can't see cars directly behind or beside them. Cutting in between the truck and the curb increases the possibility of a crash. So pay attention to truck signals and give them lots of room to maneuver.
Information excerpted from The Parent's Supervised Driving Guide, a helpful resource for families with young drivers.
It is pothole season in Michigan and young drivers especially should be aware of how they form and what can be done to minimize the danger they present to motorists.
The Michigan Department of Transportation website has good resources, including a diagram of The Birth of a Pothole, tips for dealing with potholes, and a pothole reporting system so the traffic hazards can be repaired.
It is best to avoid hitting potholes so driving cautiously with proper following distance is important in order to have time to react when you encounter one on the roadway.
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