Trooper Kathy: I drive a large commercial vehicle and am concerned about safety. Could you remind other drivers about our blind spots, wide turns, etc?I would be happy to. Every year in the U.S. there are more than 200,000 crashes involving at least one passenger car and one large truck. The majority of these crashes occur during daylight hours on straight, dry pavement, with good weather conditions. In more than 60 percent of all fatal crashes involving automobiles and large trucks, the automobile driver contributed to the cause of the crash. Regardless of who is later deemed to be at fault, as you might suspect, the driver of the automobile is more often the ultimate loser in a crash with a large commercial vehicle. Because trucks are so much bigger and heavier than cars, the driver of the car is 80 percent more likely to be killed in a fatal car-truck collision. Some handy rules of thumb to consider when sharing the road with any large vehicle include the following:1) Beware of the vehicle’s blind spots. Whether an 80,000 pound 18-wheeler, or the school bus that picks up your children, there are usually blind spots at the front, rear, and both sides of the vehicle where the driver cannot see you. If you cannot see the driver directly, or in his mirrors, it is likely the driver of a large vehicle cannot see you. Such blind spots are commonly referred to as danger-zones or no-zones, and for good reason. Stay out of them!2) Be especially cautious when passing large vehicles. It can easily take twice as long to pass a large commercial vehicle. When cars cut in too soon after passing, then abruptly slow down, truck drivers are forced to compensate with little time or room to spare.3) Large commercial vehicles are not as maneuverable as smaller passenger vehicles. The size, weight, and physics involved can limit what even the most skilled commercial vehicle driver may do to avoid some crashes.4) Large vehicles do not stop as fast as smaller vehicles. There is good reason that large trucks, buses, as well as vehicles pulling a trailer (outside of a business or residential area) are required by law not to follow another vehicle within 500 feet. 5) Large commercial vehicles must sometimes swing wide to the left to safely make a right turn. Cutting between the commercial vehicle and the curb greatly increases your chances for a crash.Having attended several commercial vehicle crashes over the years has given me a healthy respect for their size and weight. The damage potential of a large commercial vehicle is enormous. My advice is to give them the space they require.If you have any questions regarding traffic safety or traffic law, write to Sgt. Kathryn Pederson at Minnesota State Patrol, P.O. Box 344B, Marshall, MN 56258. Sgt. Pederson will not offer advice on specific situations or real events, which involve law enforcement.
