As you share the nation's highways and by-ways with 18-wheeler tractor-trailers, it is important that you know the tips, which can make your drive a safer one:

• Exit behind trucks. Speeding up to pass in front of a truck increases the probability of an accident.
  
  
• Always pass a truck on the left side.
  
  
• Don't hesitate when passing. If you don't pass quickly, it is nearly impossible for a trucker to prevent an accident if an object is on the road head.
  
  
• Know that large vehicles may be moving faster than they appear.
  
  
• Realize that a truck has blind spots. An automobile disappears from view up to 20 feet in front of the cab, on either side of the tractor-trailer and up to 200 feet in the rear. Remember, if you can't see the truck driver in his or her side mirror, the drive can't see you.
  
  
• Don't drive too close to the back of a truck. Tailgating closes your window of safety.
  
  
• Pay attention to turn signals. Due to the length of their trucks, tractor-trailer drives must often swing out to the left as the first step in making a right turn.
  
  
• Remember, that it takes truckers more time to accelerate, to brake and to change lanes.