Give     LARGE TRUCKS     more space. Be safe. Be truck aware.

We’ve all felt that twinge in our gut when driving near or past large commercial trucks, and rightfully so, because it can be scary—those trucks are huuuuuge!

Professional truck drivers are trained to operate large trucks and they're aware of the impact their rigs can have on the road. But, what if we told you that studies show that the driver of the passenger vehicle is at fault at least two-thirds of the time in fatal car-truck crashes?

As drivers of passenger vehicles—we’ve got to be “truck aware”—we’ve got to understand that commercial trucks need waaaay more room to turn, change lanes and stop.

Here are some tips to keep you safe based on the most common mistakes we all make.

• Give space for trucks to stop and make turns. Large trucks need extra room to slow down and come to a complete stop, as well as to make a turn.
• Don’t merge too soon. When passing a truck, make sure you can see both its headlights in your rearview mirror before merging. Make sure there’s a lot of space behind you before merging in front.

• Be visible. Stay out of its blind spots. Either slow down or move well ahead of large trucks to stay out of the truck driver’s blind spots.

• Anticipate wide turns and stay out of the lane beside a turning truck. Watch for trucks making wide swings to turn, particularly those turning right. Never drive ahead in the right lane beside a turning truck even though the lane is empty.

Get more safety tips and learn how to drive safety around commercial trucks.