You see a semi in the mirror, you pass it, you merge near it; all routine.But the problem with routine is that it’s exactly how problems happen. You get used to the size and the noise, so you forget that these vehicles behave nothing like your car. A semi-truck needs a lot more distance to stop, and its blind zones are big enough to hide you completely.
Plus, it moves with momentum that doesn’t forgive sudden decisions.
Another obvious issue is that the truck in front of you isn’t transparent. You can’t see what’s in front of it, nor do you see what the truck sees. Another issue is that you can’t see what the truck driver sees.
The point of this article isn’t to instill fear but to raise awareness.
Let’s go through some common mistakes that drivers make and see how to steer clear of them when you find yourself near a semi.
Don’t Make These Mistakes When You Encounter a Semi
Sharing the road with a semi-truck isn’t dangerous per se. What’s dangerous (or at least can be dangerous) is the way you react when you encounter one, and the decisions that follow your reaction.
No one’s saying that you’re a reckless driver who’ll purposefully break-check a semi, or drift into a blind spot, or even tailgate the semi for whatever reason. That’s not the issue here. But being reckless or not won’t save you if that situation escalates into something where the truck driver has no time to react.
Here’s what causes most of these types of problems.
Moving Back Into Lane Too Quickly
One of the most common situations a car driver can encounter while driving around a semi has to do with overtaking. And not just overtaking, but going back into the lane too quickly.
You’ve squeezed yourself in between the truck and another car in front. But you forgot to take into account that it’s super easy to stop your car. It isn’t easy to stop a semi truck-shaped behemoth. Because of its massive weight, a fully loaded truck requires a MUCH greater length to come to a full stop. And we aren’t necessarily even talking about a full stop, just slowing down enough to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of them.
From the truck driver’s view, the car basically lands right in front of them, and they don’t have the quick braking power to handle that.
Following the Trailer Too Closely
On the road, you might occasionally see someone tailgating a semi, driving really closely.
There are multiple reasons behind why someone is doing it.
For instance, the car behind the semi might be drafting. What that means is the car behind the semi might be trying to catch the semi’s slipstream to reduce air drag and achieve better fuel efficiency.
On paper, that’s really handy considering what the oil prices currently are.
But when you think about everything that could go wrong with that ‘economical’ maneuver, you’ve got to ask yourself, “Is it worth your life to save these couple of bucks?”
Think about it – your visibility is 0/10 because the semi is too large for you to see what’s going on in front of you, and the truck completely dictates the traveling pace. Now imagine the semi, for whatever reason, breaking hard. And you, the driver, are distracted for only one second. What do you think would happen then?
Regardless of how fast you were at the point of impact, the result is bad… for you.
Misreading How Trucks Turn
Right turns are awkward for trucks because they need extra space.
A truck might swing a little to the left before turning right, and that small move tricks a lot of drivers into thinking it’s changing lanes. Then they try to slip into the open space on the right because they don’t know that the truck is setting up its turn.
The trailer then swings through that area, and the car has nowhere to go.
Making Sudden Moves
Trucks depend on people driving in a steady, predictable way around them.
When that doesn’t happen (the car speeds up, changes lanes without much warning, etc.), the truck driver is forced to react quickly with a vehicle that isn’t built for quick moves. Sudden or choppy driving is a big issue, and it takes away the little bit of reaction time the truck driver has.
How to Drive Safely
In short, give trucks more room and keep things steady. Most of this comes down to a few simple habits, like leaving a bigger gap than you normally would. When you pass, do it smoothly and don’t linger next to the trailer. Getting past the truck at a steady pace helps both drivers see what’s happening.
Try to stay out of the spots where the drivers can’t see you.
The way you do this is easy – if you can’t see the truck’s mirrors, you’re in the blind spot. Also, give trucks the full lane and don’t squeeze beside them when they’re turning. Keep your speed steady and use your signals early.
Of course, no matter how careful you are, accidents can always happen, and it helps to know how fault is handled.
This depends on the state you’re in. Illinois, for example, allows the injured driver to seek compensation as long as they’re not more than halfway responsible for the crash. Virginia, on the other hand, has a much stricter rule and blocks claims if the driver is even slightly at fault.
This means that a Chicago truck accident lawyer will have an easier job than one in Norfolk. That’s because under Illinois law, an injured driver may still recover compensation as long as they aren’t more than 50% at fault, while under Virginia’s law (pure contributory negligence), a driver who’s even 1% at fault might be fully blocked from any recovery – a bit harsh.
Conclusion
No one is asking you to be ‘the perfect’ driver. All that’s expected from you is to have a bit of common sense.
As long as you’re aware of the difference between your car and a semi, you’re golden. Even if you drive a bulky pickup, it doesn’t change anything. A semi is still a massive beast in comparison.
No break checking allowed. And don’t expect the semi to be able to brake and stop the same way you do. As long as you’re aware of that and you drive normally, you’ll notice that those ‘my heart just jumped because I saw a semi truck on the road near me’ moments don’t come to you anymore.
Drive safe!
