You should take great care when in your car around anyone on a bicycle or motorcycle because you could do them a lot of damage. By the same token, you also need to take extra caution around trucks because they could cause you catastrophic injuries.
It’s mainly down to the difference in size and mass. Just as a bike is much smaller and lighter than your car, so a truck is much bigger and heavier than your car.
The bigger a vehicle is, the harder it typically is to maneuver
If you ride a bicycle, you’ll know how easy it is to make a tight turn or jump out of the way of a pothole at the last minute. Cars require considerably more time to change their course, and trucks far more again.
The person in the bigger vehicle must look out for anyone smaller than them. Yet, the person with the smaller vehicle should also try and keep a safe distance from the bigger one as they themself will likely come off worse in a collision, and it’s usually easier for them to change course.
Here are some things to avoid when sharing the road with larger vehicles:
Suddenly cutting in front of them
If a cyclist appeared from nowhere in front of your car, you might struggle to slow down in time to avoid hitting them. It’s similar if you pull in front of a truck in your car. Trucks take far longer to stop.
Stay out of their blind spots
Have you ever lost sight of a cyclist that you knew was somewhere behind you? Cars have significant blind spots into which a bike can easily disappear. Trucks have much more extensive blind spots, and if you drive your car into one of them, the truck driver may not know you are there.
If someone in a larger vehicle injures you, they may claim you should have stayed out of their way. Perhaps you could have done more, but that does not mean the collision was your fault. Seeking legal help to show what the other party did wrong can help you claim compensation.