Tips for sharing the road with large trucks.
The large truck is a special vehicle. Its motor is not much larger than a large car engine and yet the load it carries can be 50 or more times the weight of a car.
When accelerating up to speed, truck drivers use up to 18 gear changes. Once they get into top gear, they do not appreciate having to start again. Therefore, avoid forcing a truck driver to slow down. Large trucks will decrease speed when going uphill. You can expect truck drivers to pick up speed when going down hills to help them get up the other side. Plan your passing manoeuvre accordingly.
It takes longer to stop a large truck than a car, so a truck driver needs a longer following distance to be safe and in control.
Do not cut in front of a large truck immediately after you have passed it. Truck drivers have problems seeing smaller vehicles. Although they have mirrors that help them to see each side, you may not be visible to the driver if you follow too closely. (Besides, you can’t see anything yourself.) Realize that in poor weather, exterior mirrors become spotted with rain and dirt and the truck driver does not have an interior mirror. Be sure to make yourself visible. Drive with your headlights on.
Truckers sit up high and the hood of the cab obscures part of the road ahead. This is why when drivers in a car are passing a large truck, they should make sure they can see the entire truck cab in their rear-view mirror before pulling in front.
If a car cuts in too soon, truck drivers are forced to react with little time or room to spare. Large trucks also have deep rear blindspots.
A good car driver’s rule is that if you can’t see the large truck’s mirrors, the truck driver can’t see you.
Hope you have learnt something new today.
