American roads are crowded with vehicles that are numerous shapes, sizes and weights. Most often, motorcycles, trucks, buses and cars travel alongside each other in relative harmony. However, when these vehicles collide, the consequences can be catastrophic. One of the more dangerous collision scenarios involves a small vehicle colliding with a much larger vehicle.

Thankfully, there are a number of ways that bikers and motorists can avoid being involved in truck accidents and bus accidents. First, it is important that bikers and motorists avoid the four major poor behavioral choices that most frequently contribute to accidents. Motorists should never drive while distracted, drunk, drowsy or significantly emotionally agitated. Avoiding these behaviors will help to keep you safe around both large and small vehicles alike.

Second, it is important to keep the blind spots of truckers and bus drivers in mind as you come up behind a large vehicle. A good general rule of thumb is that if you are not far enough behind a large vehicle to see its side mirrors, you are driving too closely. If you cannot see a large vehicle’s side mirrors, its driver cannot see you. A great number of preventable accidents occur because drivers of large vehicles cannot see smaller vehicles in their blind spots.

Finally, avoid aggressive driving tactics around these large vehicles whenever possible. If you cut off a large vehicle, slam on your breaks while directly in front of one or otherwise make sudden, aggressive movements around them, you place yourself in a more likely position to be involved in an accident. Large vehicles simply cannot brake and maneuver as quickly as small vehicles can. If you do not allow drivers of large vehicles sufficient time to respond to your movements safely, you could easily collide.

Source: Road Safe America, “Driver Safety Tips”