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Safety Tips for Car Drivers When driving on the highway you are at a serious disadvantage if involved in a crash with a larger vehicle. In crashes involving large trucks, the occupants of a car, usually the driver, sustain 78 percent of fatalities. In order to keep you and your family safe when driving around large trucks and buses, you should be extra cautious. Sharing the road with larger vehicles can be dangerous if you are not aware of their limitations. Here are a few tips to help you drive safer to prevent an accident and minimize injuries and fatalities if one does occur.
CUTTING IN FRONT CAN CUT YOUR LIFE SHORT
If you cut in front of another vehicle, you may create an emergency-braking situation for the vehicles around you, especially in heavy traffic. Trucks and buses take much longer to stop in comparison to cars. If you force a larger vehicle to stop quickly this could cause a serious, even fatal accident. When passing, look for the front of the truck in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front and avoid braking situations!
BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELTS
Always buckle your seat belt. Seat belts are your best protection in case of a crash, especially if you get into an accident with a large vehicle such as a truck. Trucks require a greater stopping distance and can seriously hurt you if your car is struck from behind. However, your seat belt will keep you from striking the steering wheel or windshield, being thrown around, and from being ejected from the car. Wearing a seat belt is the single most important thing you can do to save your life, especially in a crash with a large truck.
WATCH YOUR BLIND SPOTS - THE "NO-ZONES"
Large trucks have blind spots, or No-Zones, around the front, back and sides of the truck. Watch out! A truck could even turn into you, because these No-Zones make it difficult for the driver to see. So, don't hang out in the No-Zones, and remember, if you can't see the truck driver in the truck's mirror, the truck driver can't see you.
INATTENTIVE DRIVERS
Inattentive drivers do not pay attention to driving or what is going on around them. They can be just as dangerous as aggressive drivers when they drive slowly in the passing lane, ignore trucks brake lights or signals, and create an emergency-braking situation. They also create dangerous situations when they attempt to do other things while driving, such as using cell phones. When you are driving, please focus only on the road. If you need to attend to another matter while driving, safely pull over in a parking lot or rest stop.
AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS
Aggressive drivers can be dangerous drivers. They put themselves and others at risk with their unsafe driving. Speeding, running red lights and stop signs, pulling in front of trucks too quickly when passing, and making frequent lane changes, especially in the blind spots of trucks, can create dangerous and potentially fatal situations on the road. These situations can lead to road rage not only for the aggressive driver, but also for others sharing the road.
AVOID SQUEEZE PLAY
Be careful of trucks making wide right turns. If you try to get in between the truck and the curb, you'll be caught in a "squeeze" and can suffer a serious accident. Truck drivers sometimes need to swing wide to the left in order to safely negotiate a right turn especially in urban areas. They can't see cars directly behind or beside them. Cutting in between the truck and the curb increases the possibility of a crash. So pay attention to truck signals, and give them lots of room to maneuver.
NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE
Drinking and driving don't mix. Alcohol affects a person's ability to make crucial driving decisions, such as braking, steering, or changing lanes. Remember, you are not the only one in danger when you decide to drink and then drive. You are sharing the road with everyone including large vehicles and your chances of getting into an accident are greatly increased. If you get into an accident with a truck, you're out of luck. The odds of surviving a serious accident with a large truck are too low. However, if you do live through it without serious injury, think of your higher insurance rates, your large legal fees, and other social and professional setbacks it will cause you. So think before you drink.
Safety Tips for Work Zones
Trucks have more accidents in highway work zones than other vehicles. Work zones can be very dangerous for all vehicles especially when traveling on the highway. It is important to be alert and prepared to slow down or stop in a work zone. Slowing down and allowing others to merge, will ensure a safe passage through work zones. Here are a few tips on work zone safety.
STAY ALERT- HIGHWAY WORK ZONES ARE UNSAFE
Work zones are busy places where construction vehicles and workers are always moving. Stay alert and stay on the safe path that is designated throughout the work zone. Avoid work zones altogether by using alternate routes when possible. If you can't avoid work zones, allow for more time to travel, slow down, and consider sharing a ride with someone to reduce congestion.
TAKE YOUR CUES FROM TRUCKS
Work zones often pop up suddenly. If you are not paying attention to the signs, you could find yourself in a serious accident. Trucks can be great indicators of trouble or slow downs ahead. Trucks have a height advantage and can see ahead of traffic. Paying attention to a truck's brake lights is a good signal of a slow down or work zone ahead. Truck drivers know the stopping limitations of their trucks, and pay close attention to traffic. Take your cues from trucks and you'll be prepared.
MERGE GENTLY
Aggressive drivers can be extremely dangerous while driving in work zones. Work zones require time and courtesy. For a smooth passage through work zones, allow others to merge in front of you. Be especially considerate to trucks. They require more space to merge and are the least maneuverable vehicles on the road. Remember, trucks have large blind spots, making it difficult to see cars squeezing in close to the front and sides of their truck.
Safety Tips for RVs
Recreational vehicles (RVs) can be a great way to travel across the country. However, to be safe you need to know about safe operation and maintenance. RVs are very different from cars and because of their size; they handle more like a large truck. This also means RVs have some real limitations. In order to keep your friends and family safe on your next trip, make sure to read these tips below, and enjoy the view.
WATCH YOUR BLIND SPOTS - THE "NO-ZONES"
RVs are large and have many blind spots. Learning to use your mirrors and signals properly can help prevent serious accidents. Your mirrors are very important, but they do not allow you to see everything on the road, so always be aware. In addition, trucks have even larger blind spots, and may not see you be ready to respond defensively to dangerous situations.
PREPARE TO STOP
RVs are similar to trucks in that they are heavier than cars, and require a longer stopping distance. Pay attention to traffic and to other vehicle's brake lights. Always keep enough room between your RV and the vehicle in front of you. This will help prevent accidents in case of an emergency braking situation. Driving at a safe speed will also ensure your safety in the event of any sudden stops.
CHECK YOUR TIRES
Maintaining proper tire pressure, inspecting tires regularly, avoiding excess loading, and driving at a safe speed, can help prevent tire problems. Before each trip, make sure you check to see if your tires are properly inflated. Maintaining the correct air pressure and tread depth will ensure their longevity and your safety.
WATCH YOUR WEIGHT
Weight distribution is very important in maintaining the proper center of gravity in a RV. Be sure to secure all heavy items. They can shift during travel and may affect handling, ride quality and braking. Distributing the weight closer to the ground and equal on both sides keeps the center of gravity low and will provide better handling of your RV.
WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT
Always wear your seat belt. Make sure all passengers in your RV wear seat belts whenever the vehicle is in motion. In case of an accident or sudden stop, passengers who are not buckled in may be thrown around and seriously injured.
Truck & Bus Drivers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Share the Road Safely Program provides an opportunity for Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers to set the example for other drivers on how to share the road safely. At the same time, it offers the truck and bus drivers the chance to improve their professional image each day they are behind the wheel. Surveys indicate that many highway users are intimidated by the mere size of a truck or bus. When you combine this perception with a highway crash and the resulting roadway congestion, the public image of the motor carrier industry takes a beating no matter who caused the crash. By driving safely to prevent crashes, you can improve that image and save yourself time, money, and most importantly lives.
As part of the Share the Road Safely Program, the No-Zone Campaign is a highway safety initiative that educates people about the blind spots around large trucks and buses. Some No-Zones are so large that a car virtually disappears from the view of the truck or bus driver. You, as a truck driver, know this; the other highway users probably don't.
You've also experienced how frustrating it is to have smaller vehicles cut in front of you in heavy traffic. If they hit the brakes, you may not be able to stop, which can lead to a serious crash or fatality. You know this, but they don't. To prevent these situations, the Share the Road Safely Program teaches other highway users about the operating characteristics of large vehicles on the highway and their operating limitations.
The FMCSA believes that the more people know about how to share the road safely, the fewer number of injuries and fatalities will be caused by crashes with large trucks or buses. Professional truck and bus drivers can best help us in this effort by being the proverbial "Knight of the Road" each day you're out there. Drive defensively, give them plenty of room, and expect the unexpected.
If you are interested in educating the public about how to Share the Road Safely, talk to your company about participating in No-Zone demonstrations or placing No-Zone decals on your truck or bus. To learn more about these programs and get special tips for driving safely click on the links below.
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