Large trucks can make the roads dangerous for others. Whether you’re around box trucks or 18-wheelers, your life could be at risk when other vehicles are much larger and heavier than your own.

There are all kinds of reasons that people end up being involved in 18-wheeler accidents. Some of the most common include:

• Poor weather conditions
• Reckless driving
• Distracted driving
• Fatigue and drowsy driving

It’s important that you, as a driver of a smaller vehicle, take steps to make sure you’re aware of the vehicles around you and avoid a crash with such a large one. Semi-trucks and 18-wheelers are so heavy that they can do significant damage to your vehicle and could put your life at risk during a crash.

Large Trucks Are Often Involved In Fatal Crashes

Did you know that there were 5,237 large trucks and buses involved in crashes that led to fatalities in 2019? On top of that, that number was a 2% increase from the year before. Injury crashes also increased. Between 2016 and 2019, they went up by 13% to 127,000 annually.

As a driver of a smaller vehicle, it’s in your best interests to learn about the behaviors of dangerous or reckless drivers, so you can stay safe if you’re around them.

What Are Some Signs Of A Dangerous 18-wheeler Driver?

There are some different signs that may show that a dangerous driver is behind the wheel of a semi near you on the roads.

Look for these red flags:

• The vehicle drifts off to the side of the road or goes over the rumble strips.
• The vehicle starts or stops suddenly.
• You see that the driver is not keeping the vehicle in the lane well, drifting back and forth oddly.
• You see the vehicle cut others off in traffic.
• The driver shows signs of road rage, like honking at others.

Any of these red flags should signal that you need to back away from the vehicle. In some cases, you may also want to call 911 and alert the police to the driver’s behaviors. If you’re hit, call 911 and make sure you seek medical care before looking into your legal options.