Five Tips for Keeping Safe Around Semi Trucks

Additional safety measures need to be taken into account when driving around vehicles from a trucking company in Minnesota. Their trucks take up a lot of room on the road, and as a driver yourself, you need to be aware of their blind spots and other driving factors that could cause an accident. Keep these tips in mind when you see a semi on the road, and you should be able to share the road without incident when driving near a tractor trailer:

• Provide additional space: A vehicle from a trucking company in Minnesota needs extra room on the road, as a driver requires additional space to turn and change lanes. Staying back several feet can ensure you aren’t in a dangerous spot near a semi and can allow the driver to have plenty of room to maneuver on the road.
• Avoid blind spots: Blind spots are everywhere in a tractor trailer, especially on the passenger side. Keep to the left of semis, and if you can’t see them in their mirrors, chances are, they can’t see you either. Don’t hang back in a spot where a driver can’t see you, as they could unexpectedly change lanes and not even know you are even there. If you want to pass a vehicle from a trucking company in Minnesota, do it quickly so they see you coming, and stay to the left where visibility is best for the driver.
• Watch for tire blowouts: Tire blowouts are common with semis, and as a driver on the road, rubber from the tires could hit your car and cause an accident. It is best not to ride side by side with a semi, as you don’t know when a tire might burst. Leave plenty of room alongside the semi to protect your vehicle, as the truck driver may begin to swerve to maintain control of the semi in the event of a blowout. The best advice is not to ride alongside the tires of a tractor trailer if it can be helped.
• Pass on the left: Because semis have more blind spots on the passenger side of the truck, if you are looking to pass a semi, it is best to always stay to the left of the vehicle. The driver will be able to see you coming and allow you to get by. Right side passing could cause an accident if the driver from a trucking company in Minnesota makes a sudden lane change and doesn’t see you.
• Don’t cut in front: A semi is loaded with as much as 80,000 pounds of freight, and stopping will take it longer to accomplish than it would a typical vehicle. Jumping in front of a semi at a stop could prove dangerous, as you have taken their space to stop safely. Wait to change lanes after the light has changed and the truck no longer needs additional space to stop.

By heeding the above advice, you can make it safer for trucking companies in Minnesota, as well as yourself, when you are on the road. For more information about trucking safety, get in touch with K-Way Express, Inc. today.