“Drive defensively.” You’ve heard it all your life -- and perhaps you often do. After all, you want to survive. But do you drive more defensively around an 18-wheeler truck? If not, you should. 18-wheeler safety is no laughing matter. You should drive defensively to avoid a semi accident, considering the limitations of those vehicles.

Even if an 18 wheeler has the best driver and follows all traffic laws, other laws can come into play -- laws of visibility, mechanics and physics which don’t apply as much with cars. And some truck drivers, while technically professionals, are not professional in terms of road safety and courtesy. An 18-wheeler accident can result, and most likely the car driver, not the trucker, will be injured or killed.

Tailgating A Semi Truck Can Quickly Turn Deadly

Tailgating is something that every driver has done in their lifetime – but the worst place to do it is behind an 18-wheeler.

The most important reason is that the truck driver can’t see you, even with many mirrors. Another reason is that you can’t see beyond the truck you’re following. If a car ahead veers into his lane and the trucker hits his brakes, guess who could become a pancake dripping off his mud flaps? Yes, the car tailgating behind him.

Expect a Much Longer Stopping Distance

Also, don’t expect a semi truck to stop as readily as smaller cars going at the same speed, even with air brakes. Huge trucks are too heavy to stop their forward momentum as quickly, often resulting in an 18-wheeler accident.

If a fully loaded 18-wheeler is going 55 mph on flat, dry terrain, it will travel the length of a football field between braking and stopping. If you’re the car ahead of such a vehicle, those 100 yards for stopping won’t mean a touchdown for you. They may mean you’re seriously injured or even killed.

Wide Turns And Road Hazards

You also must be wary of 18-wheelers making wide turns. They do this because of the length of their vehicle, but even then, a truck may turn even more widely than necessary. Assume the worst, stay back and always be alert for truckers’ turn signals and wide turns. After all, it’s better to be safe than be involved in an 18-wheeler accident.

Another road hazard can be a sudden tire blowout. Those 18 tires take a heavy beating while carrying loads of up to 80,000 pounds. If a tire blows out, it can hurl slabs of rubber like a cannon. You don’t want to be near such catastrophic missiles, which is another reason you don’t want to linger near 18-wheeler trucks.

Jim S. Adler & Associates, your resource for a tough, smart 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyer.