You don’t have to drive long to realize how important it is to communicate well. Truck drivers often use their lights to communicate with other drivers.
However, this can be confusing if you don’t know what they’re trying to tell you. Luckily, we’ve summarized some common reasons truck drivers flash their lights for you. Learn more!
Is it legal to flash your lights while driving?
There are several legal cases in which drivers have been warned for flashing their headlights. In many states, the use of high beams is prohibited within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to figure out when it is legal to use your flashers while driving.
As with many other traffic laws, the legal requirements for using high beams vary from state to state. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your country’s specific laws and regulations to find out when it is and is not legal to use your high beams.
Flashing your headlights to increase safety is one thing, but alerting others to the presence of police is quite another.
Is it safe to use your high beams?
Flashing your headlights is generally not safe. Using your high beams when a vehicle is coming toward you can be extremely dangerous.
It can cause momentary blindness and limit the driver’s view of the road. You do not want a vehicle coming at you whose driver cannot see clearly.
Because of the potential dangers, many states have regulations for the use of high beams. Flashing or driving with high beams is a punishable offense in many places. If you want to drive safely and avoid a hefty traffic ticket, don’t flash your high beams unnecessarily unless it’s an emergency.
Reasons truckers flash their lights
There are a handful of common reasons why truck drivers flash their lights. Let’s take a look at what they’re trying to convey by doing so. This might surprise you.
Safe to pass
Truck drivers sit several feet higher than a normal passenger car. This position allows them to see over hills and other vehicles and look much farther down the road than other drivers. In certain situations, truck drivers flash their lights quickly to let you know it’s safe to pass them.
This is especially true if they are obstructing traffic because of a steep hill or other elevation change. If you see a truck driver flash his lights in front of you and want to pass you, that’s probably what he’s trying to tell you.
He doesn’t want to slow you down any more than necessary and will help you get past him.
Warning signal
When you see a truck driver flashing his lights, he may know something you don’t. These drivers often have ways to communicate with other truck drivers and learn information in advance.
It could indicate an object on the road, an accident, or other potential hazards. If you see a truck driver flashing his lights, it could be a warning that you need to adjust your speed or driving.
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Grant Right of Way
It can be inconvenient when two cars arrive at a stop sign at the same time. However, one driver usually flashes to yield the right-of-way to the other. This ensures that it is clear whose turn it is and who is allowed to pass through the intersection.
If you arrive at the stop sign or intersection at the same time and see the driver flashing, that may be what he wants.
Proceed carefully through the intersection because he may be yielding the right-of-way to you because he has to make a particularly wide turn and you are in his way.
Show appreciation
There may be times when a motorist thanks you by flashing his lights. This may be because you gave him room to change lanes, or because you helped him in some other way.
Many truck drivers also use their brake or trailer lights for this purpose. They flash briefly to let you know they appreciate your help. So if you see a trucker flashing at you, that can be a good thing.
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You have upset them
Unfortunately, if you drive like a fury, truck drivers may flash their lights because you did something wrong. Whether you’ve cut them off or tailgated them, they don’t take kindly to bad drivers. Maybe you should adjust your driving when they flash their lights at you.
It’s important to remember that truck drivers usually spend most of their day on the road. They don’t have time to deal with morons who don’t know how to drive.
They might overlook a mistake or two, but they won’t give you much mercy if you’re an unsafe driver. If you’re getting flashed on a regular basis, chances are you’re the problem.
Know why truck drivers flash their lights
As you can see, there are many possible reasons why truck drivers flash their lights. What they want to express with it depends a lot on the situation. Most of the time, they do it to help or to say thank you.
However, they may also be flashing because you are driving poorly or unsafely. It is up to you to interpret each situation and know what they are trying to say.
Have you ever experienced any of these scenarios?