While Hinesville is a safe town, like anywhere, you know which spots to avoid to stay out of trouble. What about when you are driving? Do you know what to avoid? One of the most dangerous places to be on any highway is close to a big truck. They have the potential to do you more harm than any other vehicle on the road, due to their size.
Areas to avoid around trucks
There are particular areas around a truck that are more dangerous than others and which you should try to avoid sitting in:
- Under the truck’s nose: Take your finger, hold it out in front of you, then move it towards your mouth. There is a point where you struggle to see it because it is under your nose. It is the same for a truck driver sitting high in their cab. They cannot see you if you are underneath the nose of their truck. When overtaking, leave a large gap before pulling back into the lane.
- Tight on the truck’s tail: When traveling behind a truck, maintain enough space to see yourself in their side mirrors. Otherwise, they cannot see you, and if they brake suddenly, you could slide underneath. Remember, they do not have rearview mirrors.
- Close to either side: Your car has blind spots to the side. Trucks’ blind spots are much bigger, sometimes extending into two lanes. Choose when to pass a truck to minimize the amount of time you spend in the blind spots to its side. Remember, trucks sometimes need to pull out to the right to make a turn to the left.
If you or a family member has been injured in an accident caused by a truck, seek legal help. Avoiding their blind spots can keep you safer, but it cannot protect you against driver negligence.