Whether making your way down to St. George, Utah for a getaway weekend or coming up to pay us a visit at our office here in Salt Lake City, you’re bound to pass numerous tractor-trailers en route to your final destination. Think about it: they’re everywhere. In fact, on U.S. highways, it’s estimated that tractor-trailers number upwards of 11 million active units. As far as mileage is concerned, that’s over 288 billion logged miles each and every calendar year.
With an oblong, awkward shape, heavy cargo and poor turning radius, tractor-trailers are infamous for causing roadside accidents. In order to more fully protect yourself and other motorists, however, there are certain driving techniques which—when put into practice—make an avoidance of dangerous accidents a real possibility.
First and foremost, it’s key that blind spots be avoided at all costs. Reports StateFarm.com of these dangerous auto zones, “Tractor-trailers have large blind spots called ‘no-zones,’ located at the rear of the truck, the side and the connecting point between the truck and the trailer.” Generally speaking, if you can’t see a tractor-trailer driver in his side mirrors, he or she can’t see you. This is most important when looking to pass or change lanes.
Furthermore, it’s important that trucks be given a wider berth when traveling uphill. Though always a good idea to keep a safe distance when following large vehicles, as tractor-trailers tackle inclines, they often struggle to shift gears, resulting in momentary stalls. Needless to say, as blind spots and driving distances are respected, the number of auto accidents involving tractor-trailers here in Utah will most assuredly plummet.