19 Oct Road Safety
Let’s share the road!
All drivers on public roads are subject to the same laws and regulations. However, some restrictions and constraints can come into play depending on the type of vehicle we drive. Furthermore, when we are close to oversized, heavy-load trucks, simple driving manoeuvres we perform on our everyday commute, such as changing lanes, passing a vehicle or turning a corner, can quickly become complicated and could create a potentially hazardous situation.
Road safety scenarios can be as diverse as the type of manoeuvres we execute, our driving style, the type of vehicle we use and the surrounding driving environment. Let’s look at a few of these scenarios:
- Making a right-hand turn
This is a typical situation: when making a right turn, a truck driver needs to open a wide angle on the left to give himself a proper turning space. Pulling to the left momentarily creates an opening on his right side, trapping unsuspecting car drivers between the trailer and the edge of the road. Let’s be alert to turn signals and lights on the trucks ahead of us.
- Passing a truck
Whether on the highway or on a city street, there are a number of things to consider when passing a truck—the truck’s speed, the length of the trailer, speed limits, traffic, visibility and other conditions—which could be overwhelming! Basically, we pass a truck the same way we pass any other vehicle: Firstly, by making sure that the traffic flow behind and in front allows us to change lanes, then signaling our intention, manoeuvering swiftly and safely, and finally returning to the original lane, leaving a safe distance ahead of the truck by not cutting in too closely.
- Speed and breaking distance in front of a truck
It is generally advised to maintain a constant speed when driving in front of a truck. On a highway, the truck driver has to do a number of manoeuvres to get to a specific cruising speed and to maintain it, he often will go through 15 different gears! Whether you are driving in front of a truck or returning to your lane after passing one, keep in mind that their length and their heavy load make it almost impossible for them to stop in a short distance. It is important to allow for enough space between your vehicle and a truck in order to avoid a collision or force it to run off the road.
- All eyes on blind spots!
Given the length and height of their vehicle, truck drivers have to deal with blind spots all around them. Since they cannot see you in the side mirrors, you might want to adjust your speed to become more visible, especially if they need to change lanes.
If you are returning to your lane and pull in front of a truck, make sure you can see it completely in your rear-view mirror. This indicates that you have left a proper distance between you and the truck. Also, if you are behind a trailer and cannot see one of the truck’s side-view mirrors, it means you are driving too close to it and the driver cannot see you. He may he need to abruptly reduce the truck’s speed, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision.
Road safety scenarios can be very diverse, and the more we understand about other drivers’ constraints, the lower our risk of a mishap.
So let’s be careful and courteous and, above all, let’s share the road!