If you’re like a lot of drivers, rolling down the highway next to a bunch of big rigs is not your favorite way to travel.
It can be scary being the little guy on the road. Passenger cars have a significant disadvantage when it comes to accidents with commercial vehicles. The size difference alone puts the driver of the passenger car in enhanced danger if the two vehicles collide.
If you’re concerned about steering clear of an accident with a big rig, follow these tips:
1. Stay off the road on Thursdays and Fridays
Why Thursdays and Fridays? There’s a significant body of research that indicates big rigs are more likely to be in a fatal accident on a Thursday than on any other day of the week. Fridays are the second-most common days for accidents.
Experts theorize that truck drivers who have a Monday to Friday schedule are simply less rested and alert by Thursday than any other day. It’s likely the anticipation of their weekend peps a few more drivers up on Fridays, dropping the rate of accidents a little.
2. Stay off the road between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The highways are most deadly between these hours of the day probably due to nothing more than simple human error.
Drivers are in a hurry to get where they’re going early in the morning — especially if they want to beat the morning commute. The same eager beavers are probably the earliest to clock out, thanks to things like flexible scheduling. That puts the same rushing drivers on the road again in the afternoon.
Even if you’re not one of those rushing drivers, you could get caught in a pile-up caused by one.
3. Take the long way to your destination
Avoid the major roads and hit the freeway instead. Major roads are more likely to see speeding traffic. As a result, they also see 53 percent of the deaths involving truck accidents.
It’s probably not realistic to avoid all the dangers of big rigs. However, if you’re conscious of your increased risk at different times of the day or week and in different locations, you’ll probably be more cautious. That alone may reduce your risk of being in a serious accident with a truck.