Truckers Must Share the Road With Other Cars: How is Harmony Found?

The roads of today are filled with cars and trucks of varying sizes, and finding harmony between all of them is important for communities to function properly. In some cases, special roads and highways for trucks are available that separate semi-trucks from commuting cars. Other times truckers must share the road with passenger vehicles and learning ways to make that harmony easier means a safer, and more peaceful commute for everyone.

What Everyone Should Know About Truckers on the Road

Driving a semi-truck isn’t the same as driving a car, and truckers must address many factors when hitting the road with a fully loaded semi. Knowing what truckers deal with when they traverse the highways is essential. With talk of potential speed limiters for commercial trucks, having a good relationship between cars and trucks on the road is more important than ever.

The Difference Between Cars and Trucks on the Road

Regarding basic maneuvers on the highway, such as merging or changing lanes, trucks, and cars are all different. Many semi-trucks traversing the roads carry heavy loads, adding tons of weight pulled by a machine. A fully loaded semi-truck will take longer to gain speed and requires more space when merging onto a freeway, and a trucker must trust that a passenger vehicle will understand the rules of the road for the safety of everyone. Give a truck enough space to merge, and don’t cut off a trucker trying to get onto the freeway. Keep in mind that it may take a fully loaded truck up to a minute to reach speeds of 65 mph or higher. Don’t be a distracted driver because a semi-truck carrying heavy loads will also take longer to come to a stop. Therefore, giving truckers enough space is always vital, especially after dark, because driving at night has its own challenges.

Rules Everyone Should Know to Share the Road

Becoming familiar with general knowledge about how lanes work is essential for anyone commuting on roads and highways. Know which lanes are slow, passing, and so on. On large highways, the right lanes are usually the slow and merging lanes, while the far left lane is the faster, passing lane. Be aware of merging cars and trucks if driving in the right lane, and ensure enough space for those entering the freeway.

How Truckers Share the Road

Trucks must usually stick to the right two lanes on a large highway. Never get in front of a large truck and brake or slow down. When trying to pass a car, use the far left passing lane. Trucks have blind spots just like any other vehicle, and a good rule to remember about a truck’s blind spot is if you can’t see the driver in the reflection of his mirror, you’re probably in its blind spot. It takes longer for trucks to come to a stop, so definitely don’t cut them off; they may not be able to avoid hitting you.