Do you know what trucker light signals mean? Here’s what to know.
In the Mid-Atlantic region, semi-trucks are a regular part of the road. They take goods of all kinds, including food, toilet paper, and construction materials, to your local stores and sites. Getting along on the road usually involves communication between other vehicles. While cars have their signals, truckers communicate with lights, with each other and with cars. Here’s what you need to know.
What Does It Mean to Flash Headlights?
One should not be confused about what it means for a truck or car to flash its headlights. Some would say one should never flash the high beams, even for a few short flashes, as they can temporarily blind a driver. Truck high beams are even stronger. In the daytime, it is best to use the headlights on and off, and at night, flicking the headlight off and on serves the same purpose.
Two Flashes
If a truck passes you from the opposite direction, it could be a signal to you to look out for a speed trap or an oncoming hazard. If a truck flashes its headlights two times to you in oncoming traffic, take it as a signal to slow down. It could be that you are going too fast and need to slow down, or it could just be a friendly nudge to be alert for what is coming ahead. All in all, it is best to slow down and be alert.
Hazard Lights
If a truck is in front of you and puts on its hazard lights, you might want to slow down. A semi-truck driver can see ahead of you far better than you ever could due to his elevation and communication with other truckers through CB (citizen’s band) radio. Truckers can communicate through CB radio to know about oncoming hazards not yet visible. Cars usually use their hazard lights to tell other drivers to avoid their car, but trucks may use it to communicate an oncoming delay.
Signaling It’s Clear
Cars can signal to trucks with headlights also. If a truck is wondering if it has room to move into the lane in front of you, you can flash your headlights to show that the lane is clear.
Case by Case
Truckers communicate with lights in various ways, but one should look at each experience in a case-by-case light. While the signals above are a good guide, one should judge each signal based on the circumstance.
For All Your Trucking Needs
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