Sharing the Australian roads with small or medium size vehicles poses less risk for a motor car driver than partaking with larger vehicles. The potential threats exponentially increase when you have to share the road space with heavy and oversized vehicles.
If looking at these oversized vehicles gets you panicky and agitated, don’t fear. Follow some safety rules around them to ensure you stay out of harm’s way unscathed. Car insurance Australia will lend you a financial hand if your car experiences a blow from a truck collision, but it’s always best to avoid them.
Research car insurance online and buy a policy to cover your car expenses to handle the damage from any road accidents. An insurance policy gives you a financial breather if you are a party to road calamities anytime in the future. Stay prepared with one and sigh a breath of relief.
Below we advise you on some of the steps to take and information to know if you have no choice but to share roads with heavy vehicles.
Trucks
1. These vehicles move around sluggishly within the city limits. They are huge and not easily navigable, and can really thunder along. On sharing paths with hasty truck drivers in the countryside, avoid any overtaking misadventures by planning ahead, ensuring there is plenty of space and overtaking very carefully on a straight stretch of road. Be careful, calm, and composed when in their vicinity. Making a sound judgment on the risk factors involved would help you avert mishaps on the way.
2. Another critical aspect you must consider is not overtaking, driving alongside them as trucks that are taking turns at round corners, and at roundabouts, and intersections. If the vehicle length is beyond seven and a half meters, they stick a “do not overtake turning vehicle” sign on them. It is a clear sign for other drivers so they don’t get ahead in the way as the truck may need multiple lanes to complete turns.
3. Maintain a safe distance from them to protect yourself from any type of collision if they need to brake suddenly or their trailer swings out. Also, knowing the areas where truck drivers lose sight of commuters would aid you in avoiding occupying those areas for security concerns.
A truck’s blind spots
- Alongside the left door of the truck (if it is a right-hand side drive truck)
- Immediately behind the truck for a considerable road distance
- Right in front of the truck
The best thing you could do for yourself is vacating these positions as soon as possible. Moving to any other zone would help you stay on the truck driver’s radar.
A truck’s stopping distance
Another point to remember is trucks take a longer time to pull up after braking. Don’t cross their paths when trucks are slowing down. Plus, you must know the fact that braking trucks cover longer distances on wet/slippery road surfaces before halting completely.
You wouldn’t very likely meet with a grim fate if you are vigilant in their presence. On the flip side, if you are an inattentive person, you better compare car insurance to pay for any future car damage – but know this won’t protect your life.
Oversized load vehicles
These vehicles carry pretty long, wide, high, or heavy freight. When you spot these vehicles, you need to be ready to move away from them or slow down/stop. You may also observe a person escorting these vehicles flagging you and giving cues to get off the road for your safety. Oversized vehicles can take up almost the whole road width.
Conclusion
Nobody ever knows if the heavy vehicles near your car share a mutual respect for other commuters on the road. Car insurance from Australia will help sort out the cost of repairs for your car damage if you are a victim of a miserable road accident. Buy a comprehensive policy to save yourself from such unexpected potential car expenditure.
