How Can I Avoid Serious Injury Passing a Truck?

Driving around commercial trucks can be intimidating. If you are in a smaller passenger vehicle, the likelihood of catastrophic injury skyrockets when you are in an accident with a semi truck. 

One of the most common ways to end up in an accident with a semi truck is to merge incorrectly around these highway behemoths. Ensure that when you are passing a semi truck you give the truck plenty of room and are aware of how large the blind spots are. 

Giving space to gain safety

Of course, cutting off a vehicle of any size is never a smart move while driving. However, since commercial trucks have much more mass than a smaller vehicle, the consequences of driving inappropriately around them escalate quickly. 

Be aware that you should start merging around a semi truck at least 30 feet before the back of the truck if possible. If you merge any later than this, it is possible that the driver of the semi truck will not be able to see you. Additionally, you should give at least 20 feet in front of the truck when you merge back into the lane. 

Do not go in blind

All vehicles have blind spots, but they are much larger on semi trucks. The main thing to be aware of is that the blind spot to the right of a commercial vehicle is two lanes wide. This is why it is so dangerous to pass these big vehicles on the right. You should always pass a semi truck on the left for this reason, because the blind spot is smaller on this side.