Highways can be dangerous when you’re sharing the road with oversized delivery vehicles, such as Amazon trucks. Motorcyclists and car drivers often make the mistake of overtaking heavy-duty delivery trucks under unsafe conditions, which frequently leads to serious or fatal injuries. If you were in a serious wreck, an experienced Houston truck accident attorney may be able to assist you or your family.
Overtaking
Overtaking an Amazon delivery truck on the highway in an unsafe manner means putting your life at stake. In heavy traffic or dangerous road conditions, the best thing to do is to follow the truck while giving a margin of two seconds. If the truck brakes unexpectedly, the buffer zone you’ve given yourself allows you to slow down or take evasive action in time to avoid a collision.
Always remain vigilant on the road and give enough room to other drivers as well instead of rushing to overtake when it’s not needed.
Rules to Safely Overtake an Amazon Delivery Truck On The Highway
Let’s discuss a few tips for safely overtaking an Amazon delivery vehicle on the highway:
Overtaking on the Left
Faster vehicles generally keep to the leftmost lane of the highway, with the far left lane being used primarily as a passing lane. If you need to overtake a slow vehicle, such as a delivery truck, do so by passing on the left if safely possible. Take care not to overtake slowly, as this keeps you in the vehicle’s blind spot for a longer amount of time.
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Don’t let haste put you in a dangerous situation. Maintain a safe following distance behind the delivery truck until you can safely pass on the left. Do not drive on the shoulder or perform a dangerous maneuver to attempt to get around another vehicle.
Keep Looking in Your Rear-View Mirrors
Continually keep an eye on your vehicle’s mirrors, particularly when you decide it’s time to merge around the Amazon truck. Keep a careful watch on your blind spots, to ensure you don’t merge directly into another vehicle or motorcycle.
Avoid Exceeding the Speeding Limit
When you feel that it is safe to overtake, do it quickly but do not hit a dangerous or reckless speed. You don’t want to hover in a truck’s blind spot for any longer than necessary, but you also don’t want to risk driving so fast that you lose control of your vehicle.
Overtaking At an Intersection
One of the best places to overtake a large vehicle is at an intersection, as you will not have to pass the truck at a high rate of speed. Be sure to check your surroundings carefully yo ensure that you can safely get ahead of the larger vehicle before actually making a lane change.
Pay Attention to the Current Weather Conditions
Many times, people are forced to drive on the highway in extreme weather conditions. Thick fog, heavy rain, and snowfall can easily block your view. Be careful when approaching a truck in low visibility conditions, as it can be more challenging to determine how fast they are traveling or whether you have enough space to pass safely. Maintain an appropriate following distance and only overtake if absolutely needed.
Never Cut in Front of an Amazon Delivery Truck
Cutting in front of an Amazon delivery truck is incredibly dangerous. How? Abruptly cutting in front of a much heavier vehicle decreases the driver’s braking distance, which can ultimately cause a crash. Large trucks require a lot of space to come to a complete stop, so be sure to give a truck driver adequate time to react if you need to get in front of their vehicle.
Do Not Follow Another Vehicle Closely
The biggest mistake car drivers or motorcyclists make is following the heavy trucks too closely. It’s impossible for you to know what’s in front of the truck in front of your car. Give yourself room to take action if the truck driver slams on the brakes or loses control of their vehicle suddenly.
We hope this article helps you and your family stay safe on the roads! Especially during the frantic holiday season, keep an eye out for Amazon trucks and do your best to drive defensively.
