2 Tips for Safer Driving Around Tractor-Trailers

Feb 20, 2019

Tractor-trailers can be intimidating for drivers. These large vehicles can create dangerous road situations when other vehicles aren’t sure how to drive around them. We’ve created this quick guide to provide some helpful safety tips to give you the confidence to safely share the road with tractor-trailers.

Stay in Sight

Tractor-trailer trucks have blind zones due to their size. Areas immediately behind and to the right of the vehicle are the largest zones. Stay out of these areas to ensure that the driver can see you. This can decrease the chance of the truck merging into your car and helps increase the truck driver’s awareness. A good rule of thumb is that if you can’t see the driver in their rearview mirror, they can’t see you either.

Leave Space

Tractor-trailers are very heavy and so it follows that they have a longer brake time than other vehicles. Give them plenty of space when you’re driving so that they have appropriate room to brake. This is especially important if you merge in front of a truck. Merging and then braking in front of a tractor-trailer can spell tragedy.

Another reason to leave space is to avoid buffeting winds. Tractor-trailers often create wind channels behind them which can affect lighter cars and cause them to fishtail. If you start to feel your car shaking when driving behind a tractor-trailer, move to another lane.

These tips can help you safely share the road with tractor-trailers. With a little bit of thought, we can keep the roads safe for everyone!

Image via Flickr by IABoomerFlickr