Trucker's Truths – Things We Wish Car Drivers Wouldn't Do

September 11, 2014

Things Car Drivers Shouldn't Do

Sharing the road with car drivers is a necessary but frustrating evil of being a professional truck driver. Car drivers often seem to be clueless about the vast differences between zipping through traffic on four wheels and maneuvering a heavy-haul 18-wheeler down the highway.

Here are a few of the things we wish car drivers wouldn't do:

Trucking Tips #1: Don't cut in front of a truck without plenty of clearance.

Heavy tractor trailers can't stop on a dime. It takes a truck considerably more time and distance to slow down than a car. If you cut in front of a big rig too sharply, you run the risk of the truck's grill plowing into your read end. When you're passing a truck or changing lanes, don't pull over until you see the truck's headlights in your rearview mirror.

Trucking Tips #2: Don't pass a truck on the right.

Even with big side mirrors, the blind spots on a commercial truck are huge. Generally, if you can't see the truck driver's head in the side mirror, he can't see you. A trucker's right-side visibility is virtually zero so try to pass on the truck's left where the driver's visibility is greatest. If you must pass on the right, make sure the truck's turn signal isn't on or you could find yourself forced onto the berm.

Trucking Tips #3: Don't crowd a truck that's pulled to the side of the road.

If you see a truck pulled over on the side of the road, move over a lane to leave plenty of clearance as you pass. When a commercial driver pulls his truck off the road, it's usually to deal with an urgent safety or maintenance problem. Be safe and courteous and give the driver plenty of room to exit his cab and check over his rig safely.

Stay safe and visit TruckerToTrucker.com for great deals on commercial trucks and trailers.

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