How to Pass Trucks Safely On a Windy Day

How to pass trucks safely on a windy day?  It’s not as easy as it sounds!

Have you ever been driving along, enjoying the Atlanta scenery, when you come up behind a truck wobbling across the lane in the wind? If a semitruck catches the wind, it could roll over, crushing any vehicle to the side of it and causing a lethal hazard for the cars behind. You have a choice to make: You can either stay behind it on the road or try to pass it. Neither are exactly danger-free.

If you decide to be patient, stay a safe distance behind the truck. As a minimum, you should always keep far enough back so you can see its wing mirrors as trucks have a large blind spot to the rear. If you are too close and they suddenly brake, you could slide underneath with fatal consequences. Allow additional room in high winds, to give you time to react if it topples over.

If you decide to pass and have a safe piece of road to do so, try to get by quickly. Trucks have a huge blind spot on their offside, extending across more than one lane. The sooner you are past them, the less time the driver is unaware of your presence. When passing on a windy day, it may be safer to wait for a spot where trees or buildings block the wind to reduce the risk that they swerve across the lane with a gust.

Accidents related to semi-trucks can also happen when you are pulling back in after overtaking. Truckers sit high in their cab, so have another major blindspot under the nose of their trucks. Leave an adequate space before signaling to pull back in. Many truckers will flash to let you know you are safe to pull in front.

Despite your efforts to reduce the risk, a semi-truck could still cause a crash. As a smaller vehicle, you are likely to suffer injuries that would need expensive medical attention. An experienced Atlanta truck crash attorney, with the experience and skill of a nationally renowned law firm like Cheves Briceno, can fight for the compensation you need.  Don’t trust your chance for recovery for a truck injury to a less-qualified attorney who may charge you simply for a meeting.  Cheves Briceno is here to help, and if you don’t recover, you don’t pay!  Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.