Harm reduction is the practice of acknowledging that there are certain dangers inherent to your daily life and seeking to minimize the risk of personal injury or death. Harm reduction can involve social policy or personal practices.
As someone who frequently drives, operating a motor vehicle may be the most dangerous actions you frequently perform. Car crashes are one of the most common reasons that people suffered debilitating injuries or die in the United States.
Any Collision could lead to major consequences, but a crash with a massive commercial vehicle is particularly dangerous. Is it possible for you, the person in the smaller vehicle, to avoid semi-truck collisions?
Following one safety rule might save your life
There are numerous traffic laws that aim to reduce the rate of collisions that occur, and it is generally advisable for every driver to follow those rules to the best of their abilities. There are many safety suggestions for those who want to avoid collisions with commercial trucks, but one is especially effective.
Specifically, the best way to reduce your risk of a crash with a commercial truck is to give those large commercial vehicles more space than smaller passenger vehicles. You should avoid their large blind spots, as driving directly next to or behind the truck will mean that the driver can’t see you.
Beyond that, you also need to leave more space between the rear of your vehicle and the front of the truck if you merge in front of the truck. If a truck is directly behind you in traffic, doing your best to slow down gradually and maintain a speed that is the same or faster than the speed of the truck travels is also crucial.
Many truck crashes are the fault of the commercial driver
Although you may try to make safe choices, you obviously have no control over what the person in the commercial truck chooses to do. If they merge without looking for you or cause a jackknife collision, you may need to file a commercial insurance claim. Sometimes, a civil lawsuit against the driver or their employer will be necessary to fully cover your costs, especially if the crash left your vehicle undrivable or left you with severe injuries.
Doing your best to avoid a commercial vehicle collision and knowing your rights after one will protect you from both injury and major financial losses.