Driving With The Big Rigs–Tips for safely sharing the highways with tractor trailers.

Posted by mbattel Published in Car How To's

Here are a few tips for hanging with the big rigs:

#1 - if there are three (or more) lanes per side of highway, trucks are 99% of the time banned from the farthest left lane. If you’re one of those people who plants your car in the center lane at the speed limit and get both frightened and angry at the semi behind you, you are in their passing lane. By law, the trucker cannot pass you on EITHER side, and would like you to move over so he can continue. (I do know female semi-drivers; not trying to be sexist here using he/his.) And regardless of the vehicle behind you, never try to be “The Enforcer” by causing someone to slow down… let the police handle them - you’re much better off getting out of a speeder’s way.

#2 - be aware of hills! All semis will pick up amazing amounts of speed downhill on any interstate. Even if your cruise control is set at something above the limit, get to the right and stay there on an interstate downhill if it’s a truck route, then on the uphill, let the trucks back over to the right and pass them on the left.

#3 - use your lights! Anyone who has paid attention to truck traffic at night has watched one semi kill his lights quickly to indicate to a passing semi that it’s now clear to pull back over after passing. The passing trucker will then flash his lights “thank you”. If you’re a car jockey, do the same thing. As soon as the rear end of the trailer clears your hood, kill ALL your lights for about a half-second. Do make sure that the truck has enough room to safely continue in front of you first, otherwise the truck will continue passing until there is room to return to the right lane. A sudden shot of darkness in a trucker’s right-hand view overrides any blind spot, and you too will get the “thank you” flash when the rig moves over. In daylight, use your HIGH beams (because they aim “upwards” into a truck’s mirror) in the same fashion.

#4 - give a rig room to stop. Nothing is more infuriating than seeing an entire highway slowing for construction, an accident, etc., and having a car dart to change lanes cutting a truck’s projected stopping distance in half. When a large vehicle prepares to stop, the driver is assuming the area in front will remain that distance and uses enough brake pressure to stop safely. Sliding into that gap with a car causes the truck to slam on the whoa pedal, and the possibility of trailer brake lockup (and the resulting jackknife) increases dramatically.

#5 - respect the trucker’s workplace - the road! You may be on your way TO work, but the trucker is already AT work. If it’s not going to cause a problem in your day, give the trucker the break on the road whenever possible. You will earn their respect as a courteous, attentive driver, and will often get a break in return.