Driver Awareness
With over 2 million semis on
the road logging thousands of miles each week, learning to safely
share the road is crucial. Truck drivers make their living on the
nation’s highways moving freight from one destination to the next.
Their livelihoods depend on careful driving and timeliness. Remember,
over 70% of goods in the United States are transported by truck. If
you bought it, chances are it got there by truck. Here are six things
you can do as a motorist to help truck drivers do their jobs safely
and deliver your goods on time.
Trucks have large blind spots
to the right and rear, and smaller blind spots on the right front
corner and mid left side of the truck. Understand that these blind
spots exist, and always avoid cruising alongside a truck at the same
rate of speed. Look for the driver's face in his mirror - if you
can't see him, he can't see you!
The biggest blind spot on a
semi is on the right side, making this a dangerous place to be. When
semis take right turns, their back wheels take a shorter path than
the front. Don't try to dart in the opening when the driver takes the
turn wide because the gap will quickly close. Stay back to avoid a
collision.
If you're following a truck
closely, you can't see the traffic ahead to know if you'll need to
make a sudden stop. You also can't see obstacles in the road that
might not be a big problem for semis, but would cause a large amount
of damage to you.
The stopping distance of a semi
is much greater than your car. At highway driving speeds, it can take
a fully loaded tractor trailer the length of over 2 football fields
to safely come to a full stop. Forcing a semi to stop any faster than
that will likely cause a jackknife. Don't try to sneak into a small
gap, or get over and brake for a turn. Always leave the driver room
to safely slow down.
You've probably felt the
frustration of maneuvering into heavy traffic with your turn signal
on when no one seems to want to let you in. Imagine an additional 48
feet behind you to get into traffic too. If a trucker has their
signal on, leave some room for them to merge. Remember, they're
dealing with a much bigger and heavier vehicle with much larger blind
spots, it's not simple to dart into an opening.
Handling an 80,000 pound
vehicle with up to a 53 foot trailer can take time and concentration,
particularly when backing up. Be patient if the driver needs to make
a couple of attempts to safely get into a tight space. It also takes
time to get a large vehicle up to speed, and drivers are often
limited to a slower speed by highway regulations or fleet driving
rules.
Next time you're behind the
wheel, show some appreciation for the men and women who choose to
drive tractor trailers. Remember, truck drivers provide the crucial
link between businesses and consumers. They deliver the clothes you
shop for in the mall, the supplies you need when you're in the
hospital, the produce your family eats each week, the fuel for your
car so you can drive to work, or the deliveries you order online for
holidays. Be patient and courteous on the road and help get everyone-
car, van, or tractor trailer- to their destinations safely.
