Experience driving near container trucks and large trucks

Let's share some driving experiences below to keep yourself safe in the best way possible when participating in traffic with these "huge" vehicles.

Keep a safe distance

When driving on the road, try to avoid getting too close to these vehicles. If you must follow, try to make sure the driver can easily see your vehicle in the side mirrors.

When you see a large vehicle approaching your vehicle, give way as soon as possible. However, when giving way, clearly indicate your intention to move to the right by using your turn signal, and avoid driving parallel to these vehicles.

When stopping at red lights at intersections, try to avoid stopping close to these large vehicles, keeping a greater distance from other vehicles.

Avoid driving parallel to oversized and overloaded vehicles, especially when cornering or making sharp turns. Oversized and overloaded vehicles often need more space when cornering due to their size. Therefore, you should avoid the road to avoid being “hijacked” at the front of the vehicle or having the rear of a container truck or trailer hit your vehicle.

If you have to overtake, overtake decisively!

In case you have to overtake a container truck, trailer, etc., you first need to be well prepared to be able to accelerate and overtake: Is there a vehicle coming from the opposite direction? Is there enough space in front of the vehicle being overtaken to ensure that your vehicle has enough time to overtake without the driver in front suddenly swerving to gain the right of way?

If there are intersections or branching sections ahead, it is best not to overtake, because you will not know what will happen when visibility is limited at the time of overtaking a container truck, trailer, etc. More importantly, stay calm and handle the situation, do not try to overtake when the vehicle in front is not ready to give way.

When overtaking, you need to attract the attention of the driver in front with headlights, horn, and remember to use turn signals to ask to overtake; this helps the driver in front know where your car is so that they can handle the situation to ensure safety for both.

If you want to overtake two vehicles at the same time, consider carefully because this situation has a high risk of traffic accidents. If you really have to overtake, be alert and assess the situation (speed, space, etc.) carefully.

You may not notice: Truck blind spots

Due to the large size of trucks like the one in the above accident and other oversized and overweight vehicles, the rearview mirror system cannot help the driver observe the entire traffic situation around the vehicle.

Some positions in front of the car, on both sides that the driver cannot observe are called blind spots. When other vehicles, such as motorbikes, bicycles, and even cars, fall into the blind spot, it will lead to an extremely high risk of accidents.

These are extremely dangerous situations; in fact, in some European countries, there are even classes for citizens and students to avoid accidents caused by drivers not recognizing other road users.

Each oversized and overweight vehicle and its mirror system may be different, but in general, the red areas in this drawing represent the truck's blind spots. Vehicles should avoid entering these spots. If they cannot avoid them, find a way to signal the truck driver to avoid them (by horn, lights, etc.).