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Tips: How To Avoid a Truck or Bus Accident
Blind Spots
Large trucks have blind spots, that are located around the front, back, and sides of the truck. When a car is in the blind spot, the truck driver is usually unable to see it and may hit the car.
Bicyclists are also in danger if they are riding in a truck driver's blind spot and are frequently injured by large semi-trucks in what is referred to as the, "right hook." Right hook accidents are a leading cause of bicycle accident deaths. Bicycles are even more difficult for the truck driver to see than an automobile. Bicyclists need to use caution, even while in the bike lane and even when they have the right of way because the right hook type of accident with a large semi-truck can be catastrophic for the cyclist. When riding next to a truck this is a situation where it is very helpful if you can see the truck driver and that see that the driver sees you.
Pedestrians are also frequently injured in "right hook" types of accidents with large semi trucks. Pedestrians like bicycles are hard for the truck driver to see if they are in a blind spot. Sidewalks are also further from the roadway. Large semi trucks are difficult to operate and take a large amount of attention and physical work to drive. Truck drivers also are under stress in urban environments driving their large rigs and trying to see everything happening at such a quick pace around them.
Squeeze Play
Tractor-trailer trucks need to swing wide to the left in order to negotiate a right turn. When truck drivers make wide right turns, they are often unable to see cars directly behind or beside them. When a car cuts between the truck and a curb, the car can be caught in a squeeze play, and a serious accident can occur.
Again, the same is true and even more dangerous for a bicycle. Bicycles very often are riding in the bike lane, which is basically a far right lane. Bicyclists need to ride defensively when they are riding near large tractor-trailer trucks, even when they are riding alongside for a long distance and believe the truck driver is aware of their presence in the bike lane. Traffic researchers in Europe have done extensive research in ways to try and prevent the danger which is present especially to cyclists and pedestrians when truck drivers are making their wide-right turns.
Yes, pedestrians also may be crossing in the cross walk with the right of way, but they are still too often in danger near large trucks. Defensive awareness, looking behind and to each the side of you before entering the crosswalk is a good safety precaution.
Car drivers should keep an eye and some attention to what they see in their rear view mirrors. If a light suddenly changes to yellow and you have a large semi-truck close behind you, this should influence your decision as to whether you should proceed through the intersection on the yellow light or stop. Stopping abruptly with a large truck behind you, especially if you are in tight traffic, such as in rush hour, can lead to a rear end collision with a large vehicle which can substantially injure the car driver and car passengers.
Stopping Distance
Big rig trucks need a greater stopping distance (40% more space) than other vehicles. If there is not enough stopping distance between a car and a large truck, the car risks being involved in a rear-end collision.
Freeway rush hour traffic can also be difficult to manage for all vehicles and very often traffic is following bumper to bumper each other too close which presents a dangerous situation.y to stop if necessary. While you can try to leave enough following space between you and the car in front, very often another car will maneuver in front of you if you leave space. One good tactic is just to try and get away from a semi truck following you, change lanes, etc..
Busses
Bus drivers have some of the same challenges of operating a large vehicle as a truck driver. Buses are fantastic for our urban transportation options and reducing the amount of cars on the road. But bus drivers have the same issues as big rig truck drivers such as:types of blind spots, , need to take wider right turns, and stopping distance problems. s as semi truck drivers. P While pedestrians and bicyclists must be aware of the dangers of can become too accustomed to bicycling and walking around buses, especially as they may also hop on buses even with their bicycles. Bus drivers also are most often, going out of their way to yield, to see and spot pedestrians and bicycles, they can't always see pedestrians and cyclists everything, and collisions are too often catastrophic and even deadly.
U.S. Deptartment of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
The U.S. has been looking to lessons in Europe. In Portland, Oregon they have implemented the "green bike boxes" as well as "blue bike lanes" which come directly from lessons learned in Europe as effective into reducing right hook dangers for pedestrians and bicycles. Europeans haves been more successful in making their roadways safer for pedestrians and bicycles.
According to the United States Department of Transportation, "[...] the United States has room for improvement on safety for non-motorized traffic. According to the most recent U.S. National Household Travel Survey (2001), about 1 percent of all travel trips are by bicycle, with around 9 percent on foot. And yet in 2008 more than 5,000 pedestrians and bicyclists were killed on U.S. roadways. Thus, walking and bicycling account for about 14 percent of roadway fatalities, despite being only 10 percent of all trips." [1]
1. January/February 2010 · Vol. 73 · No. 4
Handy Lessons From Overseas on Walking and Bicycling by Gabe Rousseau
