Penske wants you to share the road safely with trucks and other large vehicles. Passenger vehicles such as cars and SUVs should know that much like their own vehicles, large trucks have blind spots. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has dubbed blind spots on large vehicles as the ”No-Zones” and every passenger driver should know them.
To avoid preventable collisions and improve safety for everyone on the road, passenger vehicle drivers should avoid lingering in the No-Zones while on the road.
As you can see in the graphic provided, those areas are located around the front, back and sides of the truck. In addition, when approaching a truck from behind, or driving behind a truck, give yourself some extra space. Remember, if you can't see the truck driver in the truck's mirror, the truck driver likely can't see you, either.
“Help promote ‘wreck-less’ driving. Don’t hang-out on either side of large trucks or buses, as that driver may not be able to see you,” says Penske safety specialist Steve Bezner. “If the driver needs to change lanes, you could be in trouble. Also, don’t cut in front of them too soon when passing; the larger vehicle needs more time and space to stop.”
To learn more about sharing the road safely with trucks, and in general, please visit http://www.sharetheroadsafely.org/ a website of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.
Penske safety tip: keep out of the No-Zones near trucksow.ly/8D0ZF #sharetheroadsafely
— Penske News (@PenskeNews) January 23, 2012
By Randy Ryerson