by Chris Nycum

Created on: September 16, 2008

We all see them during our travels. Many times they can seem very formidable and sometimes even a little frightening to some. They are the behemoths of the highway, the trailer-trailer, the big rig. As intimidating as they may seem the drivers of these trucks are for the most part professionals. They are working men and women out there trying to make a living for themselves and their families. In many cases there is no reason to fear or despise them. All it takes it an understanding of how to share the road with them. These are some tips that will help you do just that as well as hopefully enable you to understand how these commercial vehicles operate.

1 Following and line of sight. It is as simple as this, when following a truck if you cannot see its side mirrors then the driver of that truck cannot see you. Trucks have those extended mirrors for a reason but even they cannot reach directly behind them. Following a tractor-trailer too closely is a good way to end up in a nasty rear end collision.

2 A lot of trucks do not go as fast as cars now. With the price of diesel sky-rocketing many large fleets have cut down the maximum speed of the trucks they own. Many times that maximum can be as low as 63mph. This saves a lot of fuel over time and in the end that savings is passed along to the consumer. So the next time you are upset because you are stuck behind that "slow" moving truck think about the price of fuel and the fact that they are probably doing the speed limit anyway. Perhaps if more did likewise the demand for fuel would go down and thus the price.

3 Cutting in front of a truck is dangerous. This can cause the driver to over-react and hit the brakes, locking up the rig. Truck drivers are trained to keep a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead of them. How can they do it if as soon as they create the buffer a car cuts in front them and fills it? Many times cars dart into their lane and then hit the brakes. It takes a long time to stop what can be up to 80,000 pounds of rig. You certainly do not want that rear-ending you because you wanted that extra car length of lead in the race to get where you are going.

4 Trucks make wide turns. You have probably read this on a sign on the back of a tractor-trailer many times. Yet still there is always someone that will pull down the lane to the right of a truck signaling a right turn. Once again someone in too much of a hurry causes a needless accident.

Remember these tips the next time you are on the road. Trucks are the lifeblood of commerce and we must all share the highway. Also bear in mind that the fender-bender you just had with a truck may inconvenience you somewhat. It makes a much greater impact on the truck driver involved. Their livelihood and that of their families depend on being able to drive that truck. Your haste and inconvenience may cost them their job. Slow down, use good judgment and above all share the road!

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