Driving a Truck Requires Different Skills: Four Tips To Help Avoid a Maryland Truck Crash

You’ve bought or rented a new place. The boxes are packed and the papers are signed. Now all that’s left to do is head off to your new house in the truck that you’ve rented to haul your belongings.

Before you get behind the wheel of a big vehicle for the first time, there are a few things you should know. Contrary to what you might think, driving a truck is not quite the same as driving a car.  There are four key differences that you should keep in mind when driving any large vehicle:

Trucks Are Bigger

Anyone can see that big vehicles tend to be exactly that: big. What does that mean for driving?

Maneuvering a larger vehicle requires a change in regular driving habits. For example, a person driving a truck of any type should be especially wary of tailgating, speeding, or making tight turns at normal speeds, any of which can quickly turn into a disastrous Maryland truck accident.

Trucks also have extra-large blind spots. Drivers need to be more aware of the location of nearby pedestrians and vehicles and cautious in case a pedestrian, car, or motorcycle is hidden within a blind spot.

Trucks Are Heavier

Specifically, trucks tend to be somewhat top-heavy. This makes turning extra dangerous, as a truck is more likely than a car to tip over if the driver tries to turn too quickly. The weight also increases the distance needed to brake the truck, making tailgating more dangerous. Trucks require extra time to stop their momentum.

Trucks Are Longer

The length of trucks in particular offers its own unique hazard when it comes to turning. The longer the truck, the wider the turn it makes. This means a truck needs more room—on all sides—to safely complete a turn.

Trucks Steer Slowly

While a small adjustment at the steering wheel may turn your car, it takes more effort and time to get a big vehicle to respond to your touch.

An inexperienced driver may try to drive a larger vehicle the same as a car. This is a big mistake that can lead to a serious crash.

If you’ve been the victim of a Maryland truck crash, whether the driver was a commercial driver on the job or an amateur trying to move to a new house, you deserve compensation. For a free consultation, call the experienced Maryland truck accident attorneys of Nickelsporn & Lundin at 800-875-9700.