A number of Missouri truck accidents occur each year because of negligent truck drivers. However, many accidents also occur because drivers of passenger vehicles are not careful around these large commercial trucks. Here are five safe and defensive driving tips you can use when you share the roadway with large trucks:
- Avoid staying in blind spots – Large vehicles have blind spots on both sides. Remember, if you can’t see the driver’s face in his side-view mirror, he cannot see you either.
- Do not tailgate – Trucks and buses have large “no-zones” directly behind them. Tailgating a large truck can be dangerous because the truck driver cannot see you behind them and you cannot see what’s going on in front. If the tractor-trailer in front of you brakes suddenly, you basically have no place to go.
- Avoid unsafe passes – Always look for the whole front of the truck or bus in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front. Remember that truck drivers need twice the time and space to stop as smaller vehicles.
- Yield right-of-way – Obey common rules of the road such as yielding when merging onto busy highways.
- Be vigilant – Never cross behind a truck that is backing up. Remember that truck drivers do not have a rear-view mirror and may not see you cutting in behind them.
If you believe that you have been seriously injured as a result of a truck driver’s negligence, get in touch with an experienced Missouri truck injury lawyer at Page Law to schedule your free and comprehensive consultation. If it is determined that the accident was the truck driver’s fault, you could seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy and other damages.
