How to Avert a Commercial Vehicle Accident

If you’ve ever had the poor fortune of experiencing a car accident, then you know how stressful, scary, and painful the situation can be. As if the situation wasn’t bad enough, dealing with blame games by insurance adjusters post-accident is a reality you’ll likely face that makes the situation that much harder to manage.

A car-to-car collision is bad enough, but what happens when you get into an accident with a commercial vehicle? A commercial vehicle refers to a car used for business purposes to transport goods. While this can apply to many different styles, most commercial vehicles tend to be larger trucks.

This is significant because an accident with a large truck is much more dangerous and impactful than a collision with a smaller car. Injuries and damage are more severe, meaning that a commercial vehicle accident has an extremely high potential for loss.

To prevent this, you need to focus on how you can avert a potential accident with a commercial vehicle. We have some great tips you can take advantage of below!

Close Observation

A strong starting point is to practice close observation of the commercial vehicles on the road when you’re driving near them.

Because commercial vehicles are large, they tend to be harder to drive. This means commercial drivers have added pressure and responsibility to drive their vehicle safely and effectively.

As a result, there is potential for the driver of a commercial vehicle to make dangerous mistakes. If they’re falling asleep or paying poor attention, they might veer into other lanes or fail to leave an adequate stopping distance.

While you can’t change a driver’s behavior, you can adjust how you respond to them. If you notice a commercial vehicle moving oddly or unsafely, slow down and allow them to create space between you.

The further away you stay from a commercial vehicle, the better you can watch them and the more time you’ll have to act defensively accordingly.

Proceed Cautiously

It is also very important that you proceed cautiously when you do drive near a commercial vehicle.

We mentioned that commercial vehicles are hard to drive and this is why you must exercise caution. A large truck requires more time to stop and cannot make rapid adjustments to prevent an accident.

To accommodate this, you need to ensure that you drive safely when near commercial vehicles to enable them to drive properly. You should refrain from closely following commercial vehicles, avoid braking directly in front of them, and give them plenty of space when turning or merging.

Commercial drivers do not want an accident, but they need space to operate properly. Give this to them and your odds of getting into an accident will drop dramatically.

Be Proactive

It is also recommended that you be proactive when driving near commercial vehicles.

What is the best way to prevent an accident with a commercial vehicle? By limiting how much time you spend near them and reducing the number of potential accident opportunities.

While this is not always feasible on smaller roads, you don’t have to drive near commercial vehicles. Consider slowing down or pulling off to the side of the road if you feel particularly uncomfortable.

Being proactive is also helpful should you see a commercial vehicle operating erratically. The sooner you respond and create breathing room, the lower the likelihood of being affected by their poor driving.

When you’re a proactive driver, your safety becomes much easier to ensure as accidents decrease.

Drive Carefully

A final suggestion to avert a commercial vehicle accident is to drive carefully.

This advice should be applied every time you drive, but it is especially important if you want to avoid an accident. Drivers are not perfect and being on the road always poses the risk of an accident.

With this in mind, the safer you generally are as a driver, the fewer accidents and road problems you’ll encounter. When you’re around commercial vehicles, this means no speeding, sudden lane changes, brake-checking, or otherwise reckless behaviors.

If you’re driving dangerously, then you’ll make a commercial driver nervous and this can cause them to overcorrect and accidentally cause a collision. Stay predictable with your movements and commercial vehicles can navigate around you without difficulty.

Closing Thoughts

Car accidents are incredibly inconvenient and their severity only increases when commercial vehicles are involved. Commercial vehicle accidents are highly devastating and must be avoided at all costs to ensure the safety of you and your family.

To help avert an accident with a commercial vehicle, you should closely observe them, proceed cautiously, be proactive with your decisions, and drive carefully around them. These suggestions will promote good driving choices that provide plenty of response time should something go wrong.
You cannot avoid every accident but the more effort you put into safe driving, the fewer your chances of encountering one. Driving requires constant focus, but it’s well worth the hassle when you always reach your destinations safely.

Ulani Uriah

Umar Nisar was born and raised in the busy city of Abbottabad. As a journalist, Umar Nisar has contributed to many online publications including PAK Today and the Huffing Post. In regards to academics, Umar Nisar earned a degree in business from the Abbottabad UST, Havelian. Umar Nisar follows the money and covers all aspects of emerging tech here at The Hear Up.

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