Safety Tips: Driving With 18-Wheeler Trucks

Sharing a road with trucks requires you to pay extra attention.

Eighteen wheeler trucks are very large, heavy, and inherently have some very large blind spots. Know the rules to passing an 18-wheeler without risking your safety.
In addition to line-of-sight issues, truck drivers are notorious for being overworked, often leading to driver fatigue and inattention. These factors oftentimes—and unfortunately—create the perfect storm for a car-vs-truck accident to occur. It's important that you be extra careful when passing, driving behind, or alongside an 18-wheeler.

Here are a few tips to stay safe on the road:

1. Trucks usually have more blind spots than other vehicle types due to their size. These four large blind spots include the following:
   • 200 feet behind the trailer
   • 20 feet in front of the truck
   • Either side of the body of the truck.

   It’s always a good idea to drive clear of these blind spots. This will enable the truck driver to see you which in turn might make things like signaling or lane changing easier and safer.

2. Don’t cut in front of a truck. Due to the mass of an 18-wheeler, these trucks need additional space and time to brake. Additionally, up to 20' in front of an 18-wheeler is considered a blind spot. It’s always a good idea to leave at least four car lengths between the front of a truck and the back of your car as you pass to protect yourself from possible accidents.
3. Tailgating a truck is never a good idea, and may lead to a very bad accident. This is because trucks typically don’t come with rear impact-absorbing bumpers. Many have a rear underride guard, but I've seen many rear-end truck accidents as an accident lawyer, and I can tell you that these guards don't always do much to protect against underride accidents.
4. Always pass to the left. If an 18-wheeler is in front of you in the passing lane, wait for the driver to move to the right. Never attempt to pass on the right - especially when we're talking about an 18-wheeler, tanker, or other semitrailer. The blind spot on the right side of the trailer is quite larger than the blind spot to the left.

18-wheeler truck accidents can be very serious given the size of most trucks in relation to average passenger vehicles. If you've been in an accident involving an 18 wheeler, you need to speak with a lawyer before discussing anything with their insurance adjusters. Rasansky Law firm has 20+ years experience in Dallas-Fort Worth, and we've handled countless truck accident lawsuits. Call us today at (214) 651-6100.