Sharing the road with cars during truck transport: is it feasible?

Sharing the road with cars during truck transport: is it feasible?

26A professional driver’s line of work requires a great deal of knowledge and skill to ensure the proper delivery of goods in daily transit on Quebec roads. In order to ensure perfect harmony between motorists, transport professionals must use their extensive experience to anticipate dangerous situations and understand the difficulties that motorists can face concerning heavy vehicles.

Let’s look at the importance of road safety, specifically for truck transport professionals.

Road safety: a critical issue for truck transport professionals

With the number of trucks traveling on Quebec roads or across the country, transportation professionals must ensure the safety of many motorists who use the roadways every day.

Several studies have shown that motorists are not always comfortable sharing the road with large vehicles. In close proximity to trucks, which are longer and larger, some small car drivers feel vulnerable and tend to commit bad maneuvers. When they make a mistake, however commonplace, they are unaware of the difficulty encountered by truck drivers that have to maneuver or stop.

Good coexistence on the roads therefore needs to be implemented, especially since the consequences of road rage, whether from light or heavy vehicle drivers, can be dramatic.

Useful tips to reduce risks

Ensure a safe distance

On the roads, respecting the distance between vehicles is recommended to ensure safety. This is especially true for truck drivers, since the distances required to stop the truckload are much greater.

In the case of “tailgating”, remember to leave enough distance to brake or prepare an emergency maneuver. Anticipating the actions of other motorists will help you avoid many stressful and dangerous situations.

Also think of small vehicle drivers who may feel oppressed by a vehicle following close behind.

Signal your intentions

To ensure smooth driving on the roads and avoid any incidents, it is important to signal your driving intentions. For example, expressing a willingness to turn, overtake or simply being cautious by slowing down to give other drivers the time to react properly is recommended.

This is all the more important when the weather is gloomy. In the case of rain or snow, driving conditions are more complex and safety can be jeopardized.

Maintain control of your vehicle and the road

Driving a truck requires attention, whether it is a short or long distance. If you want to ensure the safety of road users, it is therefore necessary to maintain attention and concentration at every moment of driving.

Know how to anticipate motorists’ intentions and prevent any emergencies. Whether overtaking, turning sharply or approaching an intersection, predicting the behavior of other vehicles will often prevent accidents or other hang-ups. In addition, this will ensure greater harmony between the different types of drivers, whether professional or not.

Harmony between truckers and motorists

Today, the number of vehicles on the road continues to grow. It is therefore difficult for trucking professionals and motorists to share the road on good terms. However, if everyone respects certain instructions, coexistence will be smooth and pleasant. Certain trucking companies carefully ensure that their employees apply these rules.