How to Pass Trucks Safely

Video Transcript

"Hi. Dr. Roadmap. Might as well talk about trucks because one in ten cars on the road is a big rig. And if you want to make time, you've got to get around him. Some pointers will make it safe though and help you pick up time. And you do have to give these eight hundred pound gorillas a lot of respect because you are looking at eighty-thousand pounds and a seventy five foot long vehicle. There is some tips on getting around them without getting crunched. Unfortunately, trucks are involved in twenty-five percent of the injury accidents on the highways and expressways. So for prevention, you want to stay away from the "No Zone," as the truckers call it. In other words, all of those areas where the trucker can't see you. And number one on the list is: everything on the right of the truck. They have a hard time seeing in their mirror if you are on the right. The other one is directly behind the truck. And the third area you want to stay out of is immediately to the left of the cab. The truck driver can't see down there; only if you are way behind. Overall, the main thing is just to give them a wide birth, because you are looking at about a six or seven story building laying on its side. That's the length of trucks. In addition, (more reasons for giving a wide birth) a truck is about nine feet wide, where as most cars are seven feet. Even on interstates (they are only twelve feet wide), so you can see there's only eighteen inches on either side of that truck. You want to pass them with a lot of width on either side, especially when it's windy because a truck is trying to keep that van (trailer) in its lane. Another tip, if you are going to pass a truck, allow plenty of time. These trucks aren't slow. You are looking at eighteen hundred feet pound of torque, where as most four-cylinder cars only have maybe one hundred and fifty foot pound of torque. Believe it that they can go fast; surprisingly fast. So if you do pass them, the only time you get back in front of them is when you can see both headlights in your rear view mirror; then you know it's safe. These things should keep you out of trouble with the big rigs. "