When driving around trucks, drivers need to understand that the safety rules are a bit different. If they do not act like these 80,000-pound vehicles are larger and heavier than the rest of the traffic around them, it can cause accidents.
For instance, one of the most important rules to follow is to always avoid cutting off a truck. Passing itself is not a problem, but only do it when you have plenty of space. Never dart in front of the truck right before a red light, for instance, and then hit the brakes. It may appear that you have enough room, but the truck driver was actually keeping that open space in front of them on purpose, as they need extra space to stop. If you put your car in the way and hit the brakes, the driver may have no way to avoid you.
Now, most people know full well that it’s a bad idea to cut anyone off on the road, but they still do it because they’re in a hurry or they’re unaware. Sometimes they just assume that other people can hit the brakes and avoid them; even knowing that it may be annoying, they opt to do that so that they can get into traffic. Taking this same mindset with a truck is incredibly dangerous. The size and weight make a huge difference in the vehicle’s handling, and something that may be safe around a passenger car could lead to a bad accident.
Of course, the other side is also true: Truck drivers need to leave enough space to stop safely. When they don’t, they can cause serious crashes, and that’s when you need to know how to seek compensation.