 Be cautious around trucks
When driving on the highway, 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.
Avoid truck 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. For additional truck safety tips, view the Michigan Center
for Truck Safety’s Are You TruckSmart? brochure
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