There are approximately 3.75 million tractor-trailers on the road, each weighing up to 120,000 pounds. Studies show that in car-truck collisions, car drivers are at fault 80% of the time and make up 80% of fatalities. The document provides tips for driving safely around large trucks, including being aware of trucks' large blind spots, merging and passing trucks carefully, allowing space for stopping and turning, and never driving when feeling unsafe. All drivers must share responsibility for safety on the roads.

1. SHARING THE ROAD
SAFELY WITH TRUCKS

2. There are roughly 3.75 million tractor-trailers on the road, each one weighing up to 120,000
lbs. In a collision with a truck, a 3000 lb. car is far more vulnerable than the truck. Studies
have indicated in car/truck collisions that car drivers are roughly at fault 80% of the time
and make up 80% of the deaths resulting from these accidents.
Car and truck drivers share the road alike, which is why it is so important for car drivers to
keep some basic rules in mind when dealing with trucks on the road. The following tips will
allow truck drivers to do their job safely and will help get you and your family home safely
as well.
SHARING THE ROAD SAFELY WITH TRUCKS
Introduction

3. 1. Know the ‘No Zone’
2. Merge safely
3. Exit safely
4. Pass safely
5. Watch for reversing trucks
6. Leave enough room to stop safely
7. Stop before the stop line at an intersection
8. Stay clear of spray and splash
9. Never drive when you feel unsafe
Nine Essentials
SHARING THE ROAD SAFELY WITH TRUCKS

4. 1. KNOW THE ‘NO ZONE’

5. DON’T HANG OUT IN THE ‘NO ZONE’
A truck driver’s blind spots are known as the ‘NO ZONE’. If you must enter any of a driver’s
blind spots, pass through and get past as soon as possible. And remember, if you can’t
see the truck driver in their mirror, they can’t see you.

6. 2. THE SAFE MERGE

7. Get up to speed to match the flow of traffic. Look for a spot in traffic to blend into before
you arrive at the merge. Always make sure the truck has enough room. Remember, trucks
may not always be able to move over because there may be a vehicle beside them.
PICK YOUR SPOT, SIGNAL AND GO

8. 3. THE SAFE EXIT

9. USE CAUTION WHEN MAKING AN EXIT
Don’t pass a truck to make an exit if there is less than a mile from your exit. Instead, remain
behind the truck and safely take your exit.

10. 4. THE SAFE PASS

11. Passing incorrectly can be extremely dangerous. Once in the passing lane, assess the
truck & trailer’s length to ensure you have enough time to pass. After passing a truck, make
sure you can you see the truck’s headlights and front tires in your rear view mirror before
changing lanes in front of the truck.
USE CAUTION WHEN PASSING

12. 5. DEALING WITH REVERSING TRUCKS

13. When a truck is backing up, make sure you give them plenty of room. Never drive behind
a reversing truck and trailer. Trailers don’t have reverse lights, so pay attention! If you can’t
see the driver, then they can’t see you.
GIVE ROOM FOR A REVERSING TRUCK

14. 6. THE SAFE STOP

15. A COMPLETE STOP TAKES TIME
It can take more thana football field for a fully loaded truck to come to a complete stop.
LOADED TRAILER WITH HOT BRAKES
LOADED TRAILER WITH COOL BRAKES
EMPTY TRUCK AND TRAILER
TRUCK ONLY
PASSENGER CAR

16. A truck should be a full seven seconds behind the vehicle in front.
SEVEN SECOND RULE FOR TRUCKS
7 SECOND DISTANCE

17. A four second safe following distance is recommended for cars. To see if you are at a safe
distance, pick a landmark, like a tree, as a reference point. When the vehicle in front passes
your chosen landmark, start counting. If you pass the landmark before you can count to
four you are following too closely.
FOUR SECOND RULE FOR CARS
4 SECOND DISTANCE

18. 7. THE SAFE INTERSECTION STOP

19. TRUCKS MAKE WIDE RIGHT TURNS
When approaching an intersection behind a truck, watch the position of the truck. If the
truck appears to be turning left or right, always stay back and never try to squeeze by as
the truck may not clear the turn without hitting your vehicle.

20. At intersections, always stop behind the white stop line or stop line sign. If you stop past the
stop line, turning trucks may not be able to complete their turns without hitting your vehicle.
STAY BEHIND THE STOP LINE

21. 8. AVOID SPLASH AND SPRAY

22. Don’t pull out to pass a truck unless you can clearly see your way forward. Splash and
spray from a truck can severely hinder your visibility and it greatly increases your risk of
accident. Keep well back and stay safe.
WET AND SNOWY DRIVING CONDITIONS

23. 9. NEVER DRIVE IF YOU FEEL UNSAFE

24. Bison Transport has a ‘Right to Decide’ policy. That means our Professional Drivers can
push back the start time of a trip or stop driving when they feel conditions are too risky to
continue. All drivers share this responsibility to avoid driving in unsafe conditions resulting
from fatigue, bad weather, poor health or an unsound state of mind.
TRUCK
STOP
GAS
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE

25. To summarize, every driver has the responsibility to drive safely. The techniques and tips
outlined in this presentation will help all drivers learn to share the road in a responsible and
courteous manner so that everyone gets home safely.
SHARING THE ROAD SAFELY WITH TRUCKS

26. For more information please visit BisonTransport.com