There are certain additional steps you should take when driving around commercial trucks. They’re larger, they have a harder time stopping… Not to mention, commercial truck blind spots are much larger than that of your typical passenger vehicle. Riding in the blind spots of a commercial truck can be extremely dangerous. They can’t see you, therefore they can’t take you into consideration… So, you have to make yourself visible. You may not feel that it’s your job to account for other drivers on the road, and that’s understandable. However, not being visible to a tractor trailer can really only hurt you in the long run… So, think of it as looking out for yourself.
Commercial Truck Blind Spots: Staying Safe and Visible
Part of paying attention to the road, is paying attention to the drivers around you. Is someone texting? Swerving into your lane? Not signaling to change lanes? All of these little factors play into how safe the roadway is for you. So, paying attention to them can make a pretty big difference in your making it home safely. When it comes to tractor trailers, this does not change. Commercial truck blind spots are pretty easy to spot. In fact, many tractor trailers have a sign stating how to tell…
“If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you”
I’m sure you’ve glanced over this sign more than a few times, and to be honest— it’s quite telling. Use this as your rule of thumb with all trucks, regardless of the sign. If you can see their mirror, or their reflection in the mirror, they can see you! So, stay in that line of sight. You want to be as visible as possible to trucks, especially if you are a smaller vehicle or motorcycle.
Staying out of their blind spots ensures that you won’t be merged over on top of, for one big starter. However, it really just ensures that they know you’re there. Tractor trailers have a much lower visibility than the rest of us. So, do them a favor and be considerate of that! Many drivers are not. In fact, a majority of drivers feel threatened by trucks and try to speed around them. But, even this is dangerous. So, your best bet is to get comfortable with them! Learn how to drive around them, and stay visible. Doing so, will ensure that both of you can drive safely and make it to your destination without incident!