The Weather Outside Is Frightful. Adjust Your Driving to Avoid a Serious Truck Accident

Bitter cold, driving snow and ice, strong winds, and reduced visibility can make your commute on I-90 eastbound to the Chrysler Assembly Plant in Belvidere quite treacherous. When you consider the heavy traffic and large number of tractor-trailers and other large trucks sharing the road with you during rush hour, the trip starts to look even more dangerous. Colliding with a large truck is the last thing you want to do—a heavy truck will always win out over a smaller passenger vehicle and injuries can be severe or even fatal.

So what should you do to help avoid a serious truck crash this winter? Following are three tips for sharing the winter roads safely with 18-wheelers and other trucks:

• Give them space – Trucks cannot stop or maneuver as easily as your car can. During snowy weather, double your usual following distance. When it is icy outside, triple it. That way, you have plenty of time to stop in case the truck in front of you slams on the brakes. When passing a truck, allow plenty of room so that the trucker does not have to brake to avoid hitting your car.
• Make sure they can see you – Trucks have large blind spots on either side, in front, and in the rear. Cars traveling in those spots are invisible, as far as the trucker is concerned. Wintry weather can make it even more difficult for truckers to see nearby motorists. You can help by clearing your car of snow and ice, turning on your headlights, and staying out of the truck’s blind spots.
• Take extra care – When you have to drive in wintry weather, prepare yourself for the trip by leaving a little early, focusing your full attention to the road, and driving more slowly.

At The Fisk & Monteleone Law Firm, we encourage drivers to treat large trucks with respect and adjust their driving for current weather conditions. If you have been hurt in an accident with a truck, contact us today to see how we can help.