Passenger Vehicle Operators - Not Truck Drivers - Cause Approximately 70 Percent Of All Fatal Crashes Involving A Car And Commercial Truck, According To Federal Government Statistics.Most Accidents Are The Result Of An Unsafe Driving Act, Such As Following A Truck Too Closely Or Lingering In Its Blind Spot. The Following Precautions Will Help You Safely Share The Road With Large Trucks: Beware Of Blind Spots. Approximately 35 Percent Of Truck-related Auto Fatalities Occur In A Truck's Blind Spots. Tractor Trailers Have Very Large Blind Spots -; As Much As 30 Feet Behind The Truck. Always Try To Pass On The Left Side; The Blind Spot On The Right Side Is Much Larger (running The Length Of The Truck And Extending Out Nearly Three Lanes). Stay Back. When Following A Truck, Try To Maintain A Distance Of 20 To 25 Car Lengths. Driving Too Closely Behind A Truck Gives You Little Or No Time To React To Changing Conditions. When Passing A Truck, Do Not Loiter In The Blind Spot. Before Moving Back Into The Truck's Lane, Be Sure You Can See Its Headlights In Your Rearview Mirror. Most Fully-loaded Semi Trucks Driving At Highway Speeds Need 100 Yards - That's One Football Field - To Come To A Safe Stop. Leave Them Plenty Of Space. Pay Attention. Driver Inattentiveness Is The Most Common Unsafe Driving Act That Results In A Truck-related Auto Fatality. Heed The Weather. Poor Conditions Make It More Difficult To Drive Safely Around Big Trucks. Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC Reminds You That Statistics Show Nearly 1 Million Vehicle Accidents A Year Occur In Wet Weather. When It's Raining, Slow Down, Turn On Your Lights, Drive Smoothly And Maintain A Safe Distance. If You Start To Hydroplane, Take Your Foot Off The Accelerator (if Manual Transmission, Engage The Clutch) And Don't Slam On Your Brakes. Properly Maintain Your Tires. A Tire Cannot Provide Good Traction On Wet Roads Once The Tread Is Worn Below 232 Of An Inch Tread Depth. Check Your Tires Regularly And Replace Them At The Proper Time. Don't Forget To Maintain The Proper Air Pressure In Your Tires; Tire Pressure Should Be Checked Monthly.
