Safe Driving Tips for Sharing Texas Roads with Commercial Trucks
Many semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles travel on Texas’s highways each day. In Comal County, I-35 and I-10 are host to thousands of trucks each week. If you travel in or around New Braunfels, Texas, chances are you’re going to frequently be driving near a big-rig or other large vehicle. Due to their massive size, wrecks involving 18-wheelers often have devastating results. It’s important to take every step available to minimize the chances that you’ll be involved in an accident with a big-rig in Texas.
Many of the safe driving tips for traveling near trucks are also true for driving in general. For example:
- Pay attention & don’t drive when you’re overly tired
- Don’t quickly change lanes or change lanes without using your turn signal
- Adjust your speed to account for the weather and traffic patterns
- Keep to the right unless passing when you see a “Left Lane is for Passing Only” sign
- Move disabled vehicles as far off the road as possible
However, there are additional truck-specific things to keep in mind when you’re traveling near 18-wheelers. Trucks can weigh up to 80,000 lbs., and it can take a truck driver 100 yards to bring his vehicle to a stop. Thus, there are other important considerations regarding safe driving around big-rigs, such as:
- Be aware of blind spots. Most trucks have blind spots 20 feet in front of their trailer, along the sides of the trailer, and 200 feet behind their trailer. Try not to travel in these areas for any length of time.
- When passing a truck, don’t pull back in front of it until you can see both of the truck’s headlights in your rear-view mirror.
- Be sure to accelerate at a good rate when pulling into traffic in front of a truck. It takes longer and is harder for truck drivers to slow down in moving traffic.
While following these safety tips for driving around trucks can minimize the chances you’ll be involved in a collision with a big-rig in Texas, there are no guarantees. If you or a loved one is involved in a Texas truck crash, contact an experienced Comal County truck accident lawyer as soon as possible for a free consultation.
