While a crash involving any vehicles has the potential to be catastrophic, the reality of the situation is that some crashes have a higher likelihood of serious injury than others. One of these potential high-risk situations revolves around cars and semi-trucks. Obviously, in the event that a car and a semi-truck collide, it is highly likely that the driver and passengers in the smaller car will suffer catastrophic injury. Fortunately, there are ways that you can drive safely around semi-trucks. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, one of the best things you can do to drive safely around semis is to give them plenty of space.
What makes semi-trucks so dangerous?
There are many reasons for this. The first is that semis (and other bigger vehicles, like busses) are going to require more room before coming to a complete stop. While cutting any vehicle off is not a good idea, it is a very bad idea to cut off a semi-truck. Often, they will not be able to stop before running into you.
Additionally, semi-trucks have huge blind spots. The blind spot on the right side of the truck is particularly big: it can encompass nearly two lanes of traffic. This is why it is a very bad idea to try and pass a semi-truck on the right-hand side.
What are the best ways to pass a semi-truck?
You should always give the truck plenty of space before you merge from behind and merge in front, as stated earlier. You should also always merge on the left.