How do I Protect My Driving Teenagers Over Memorial Day from Being Injured in Car Wrecks with Big Trucks?

Protecting your driving age teen from having personal injuries arising from a car wreck with a Big Truck over Memorial Day is difficult.In 2025, the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimated that there would be 45.1 million Americans would be traveling on US Highways for the holiday.

Car crashes with Big Trucks, semi-tractors and 18-wheeler are the deadliest types of crashes that can happen to the much smaller car, pickup, or van. There are 7 ways you can protect your driving teenagers and family from having a personal injury in a truck accident in a family car.

7 Rules that Help Protect Teenagers from Car Wrecks with Semi-tractors.

1. Blind Spots. Teach your driving teen that you should never drive along the side of a Big Truck or tractor-trailer. This is because there is a zone of danger to the sides, front, and rear where the Big Truck driver cannot see cars and pickups around them.
2. Passing. Teach your younger drivers that you should always pass the Big Truck or tractor-trailer quickly in a wide pass only when safe to pass.
3. Rear End Crashes. Train your kids that they should maintain a safe cushion between their vehicle and vehicles in front and behind them. Normally one car length for every 10 mph.
4. Changing lanes. Always use turn signals and teach your driving children how Big Truck Drivers may change lanes quickly without warning, so they need to maintain a safe distance from the truck driver.
5. Bad Weather. Train your driving kids that high winds and pouring rain, snow or ice can cause the Big Truck to lose control and hydroplane. Tractor-trailers can jackknife where the trailer moves sideways to the side of the tractor. These Big Truck Wrecks almost always end in wrongful death and/or severe catastrophic injuries.
6. Speeding. Train your driving teens and young adults in that most Big Truck Drivers are on what is known as an on-time delivery schedule which pushes the drivers to unsafe driving limits including speeding and other reckless maneuvers.
7. Rules of the Road. Train your young drivers in all the safety rules of the road for not only your state, but nationwide. The Kansas Driving Handbook is online. Kansas Driving Handbook