Preventing Right Turn and Sideswipe Crashes

Right-turn and sideswipe crashes are some of the most preventable accidents involving commercial trucks. They can happen quickly, but good driving habits can dramatically reduce the risk. These crashes usually happen at intersections, during lane changes, while merging, or anytime another vehicle enters an area where you can't easily see it. Let's start with right turns. Commercial trucks need much more room to turn than passenger vehicles, especially at tight intersections. Or on narrow streets. To make the turn safely, you may need to position your truck farther left before turning right. That can create an opening beside the truck. A car, motorcycle, or bicycle may see that open space and assume there's enough room to pass. In many cases, there isn't. Before making a right turn, signal early and start checking your mirrors well before reaching the intersection. Know what's beside your truck before you turn. Keep checking your passenger-side mirrors throughout the turn. Don't assume a vehicle you saw a few seconds ago is still in the same position. If your tractor has a passenger-side look-down or blind-spot mirror, use it! These convex mirrors can improve visibility directly beside and below the passenger door. That area can be difficult to see with the standard flat mirror, especially when a smaller car, motorcycle, or bicycle is traveling close to your tractor. Just remember that convex mirrors can can distort distance and make vehicles appear smaller or farther away than they actually are. Use them as an additional visibility tool along with your main mirrors, proper mirror scanning, and any available blind spot cameras or warning systems. Traffic moves quickly. A car, motorcycle, or bike can enter your blind spot in just a few seconds without you realizing it. If you lose track of someone near the right side of your truck, slow down or stop until you can confirm the area is clear. Even when another driver makes a bad decision, don't use the size of your truck to force them out of the way. Your goal is to prevent the crash. You also need to watch the trailer. During a turn, the trailer doesn't follow the exact same path as the tractor. The trailer's rear wheels track farther inside the turn. This is called off-tracking, and it can create serious clearance problems. Your trailer could strike a curb, sign, parked vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, or other object, even though the tractor cleared it. Give yourself enough room and make the turn slowly. Keep watching the trailer throughout the maneuver and don't rush the turn. Now, let's talk about sideswipe crashes. These commonly happen during lane changes, merging, passing, and in heavy traffic. Before changing lanes, check your mirrors and make sure you know what's happening around the entire vehicle, including both sides of the trailer. Use your turn signal early. Don't signal and immediately start moving. Give other drivers time to recognize what you're planning to do. Before moving into the next lane, check your mirrors again. A vehicle may have entered your blind spot since your first check. Passenger vehicles can disappear beside the tractor or trailer, and motorcycles can be even harder to see. If you're not sure, don't move over. Avoid unnecessary lane changes whenever possible. Every lane change creates another opportunity for a vehicle to enter your blind spot. In heavy traffic, the safest decision may be to stay in your lane and be patient instead of trying to gain a few seconds. Be especially careful when another vehicle is passing you. If it disappears from your mirror, don't assume it has already cleared your truck. That vehicle may be directly beside you. Wait until you can clearly confirm it has passed before beginning your lane change. Side-view event recorders can also be extremely valuable when a sideswipe does happen. Newer camera systems can capture what's happening along both sides of the truck. That footage can be especially important in disputed sideswipe claims where each driver gives a different version of what happened. Side-view video may help establish lane position, Vehicle movement, and whether another vehicle moved into the truck's lane. For motor carriers, consider event recorder systems that include side-facing cameras in addition to the traditional forward-facing view. These systems can help identify coaching opportunities, document what happened during a crash, and provide evidence that supports a driver's account. In some disputed claims, that additional camera angle may be the evidence needed to show that your driver wasn't responsible for the collision. Preventing the crash should always be the first goal. But when an incident does happen, good camera coverage can help establish what actually occurred. Right turns, lane changes, and merges should never feel rushed. If you miss a turn, take the next safe route instead of forcing the maneuver. If you can't safely change lanes, stay where you are. Losing a few minutes is always better than causing a preventable crash. Remember the basics: signal early, Check your mirrors often, know what's beside your truck, and watch your trailer during every turn. Use every visibility tool available to you, including properly adjusted mirrors, look-down mirrors, cameras, and blind spot warning systems when equipped. Avoid unnecessary lane changes, give other drivers time to react, and if you're not sure the area is clear, wait until you are. Professional drivers don't just react to traffic. They anticipate what other drivers might do and give themselves enough time and space to prevent the crash. Thanks for watching, and stay safe out there!