Drivers in Texas need to share the road with large trucks of all kinds. Accidents involving cars and trucks can be disastrous because of the size of the larger vehicles. Drivers of cars should be aware of the additional hazards and drive defensively when in the vicinity of trucks to reduce the number of severe crashes.
Many car drivers think truck drivers are the cause of the majority of accidents, but this is not necessarily the case. The National Traffic Safety Institute reports that in more than half of fatal collisions the driver of the automobile was at fault, and that the majority of crashes occur during the day and in good weather. To avoid accidents, automobile drivers need to follow certain safety protocols on the road. These include:
- Leaving extra space when stopped or driving behind a large truck
- Staying outside of trucks’ large blind spots
- Planning for more time when passing a truck
- Avoiding being positioned in between two large trucks on multi-lane highways
- Slowing down while being passed by a large truck to avoid reduced visibility
While drivers of smaller vehicles can do a lot to avoid collisions, truck drivers must also practice caution on the road to keep things safe. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration discusses some of the risky driving behavior truckers should be aware of. Excessive speed and driving too fast for weather conditions are big risk factors in regard to highway crashes. Others include not paying attention, excess fatigue, not looking or unexpected external distraction.