Pedestrians and cyclists should be but aren’t always careful, so there are some strategies semi-truck drivers can follow to keep others as safe as possible around their vehicle.
When people are out on the road, everyone owes everyone some extent of responsibility to keep us all safe. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists should have the sense to keep themselves and others safe, as do semi-truck drivers. Eventually, semi-truck drivers will find themselves in close quarters with pedestrians in high-traffic places, like in a city or town. Pedestrians and cyclists should be but aren’t always careful, so there are some strategies semi-truck drivers can follow to keep others as safe as possible around their vehicle.
Be Cautious Approaching Crosswalks
When approaching crosswalks and intersections, semi-truck drivers should be extra cautious. These are areas where pedestrians more directly cross paths with the driver. To approach the crosswalk carefully is to know if you have enough time to proceed safely or if you should be prepared to stop to let people cross. Even at crosswalks, not everyone will check the street before crossing, so a driver should err on the side of caution.
Control Your Stopping Distance
Trucks have a greater stopping distance because of how large and heavy the vehicles are. The momentum will carry semi-trucks further before coming to a complete and controlled stop. Semi-truck drivers must create enough space for themselves to stop safely. This includes being able to brake and stop the truck without encroaching onto the crosswalk path.
Know Your Surroundings and Blind Spots
As long as semi-truck drivers are vigilant and attentive to their surroundings, they are practicing pretty safe driving. However, the harder part is keeping track of the vehicle’s blind spots. In this case, drivers should not maneuver the truck in any way that could hurt someone in their blind spots unless they are absolutely certain it is clear. Blind spots exist on all sides of a truck.
Know When To Wait and Yield
When trucks need to make a wide turn, they need other vehicles and people to give them enough space to complete the turn. But, not everyone on the road is going to give the drivers that time and space. The safest course of action in these instances is to simply wait for a safe opening to do so and yield to pedestrians and motorists. It’s far more serious to get into an accident and cause injury, so it’s better to wait for a safe opportunity to continue on with the delivery.
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