As the driver of a vehicle, there’s isn’t a way to completely avoid large commercial trucks. No matter where you go, you’ll always find yourself in close proximity to these vehicles.

While there is no reason to believe you will be part of a truck accident  in the future, you should never rule this out. Even if you follow the rules of the road, one mistake by a trucker could put you in a compromising position.

Below are things you can personally do to prevent a truck accident:

•Be aware of a trucker’s blind spot
•Never change lanes abruptly around a truck, as it takes large vehicles longer to stop
•Give a truck plenty of space when it’s making a turn (especially a right turn)
•Don’t attempt to pass a truck in the right lane on the highway
If possible, don’t drive between two commercial trucks
•Don’t abruptly slow down after moving in front of a truck
Yield with caution, as pulling out quickly in front of a truck can lead to a rear end accident

Along with the above, if you have to pull to the side of the road for any reason, give yourself plenty of space. You must make sure your vehicle is completely removed from the roadway. Trucks are large vehicles, and you don’t want to risk one of these hitting you when you are pulled over.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try to prevent a truck accident, you could still run into trouble. For example, a trucker could become distracted while behind the wheel, such as when sending a text message, which leads to a serious accident.

If you are part of a truck accident, move your vehicle to safety (if you’re able to do so) and then call 911. Once police arrive, they can learn more about the accident and take control of the scene.

When time allows, learn more about your legal rights and if you are in position to obtain compensation from the trucker and/or trucking company.