You have no choice but to share the road with massive semi-trucks and buses every day during your commute. This puts you at serious risk. If you get into an accident with a vehicle that is so much taller and heavier than your own, odds are good that you are the one who is going to suffer injuries in that crash.
There are many things that you can do to stay safe, however, such as understanding that bigger vehicles make wider turns and keeping your own car out of blind spots. One more key thing to do is to always be wary of having a large vehicle right behind you, especially if it seems like the driver is not giving you enough space.
Remember, it can take up to 40% longer for a semi or a bus to stop than it will for you. If you suddenly come over a hill to find a traffic jam in a work zone, you may have plenty of time to stop without crashing into the next car. That truck behind you may not, though, and it could slam into the back of your vehicle, sandwiching it between the truck’s front bumper and the next car in the line.
This is exceedingly dangerous because there is little you can do to avoid such a crash. Your best bet is to speed up — without breaking the speed limit — or change lanes to keep from having a semi right behind you in the first place.
Understanding the risk is one thing, but you can’t always avoid an accident. If you get injured, make sure you know what legal options you have.
