Spray from trucks can be irritating for other motorists, and even worse, dangerous for them. Spray can reduce visibility from 1,500 feet in dry conditions to 300-600 feet in the rain.
Since the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, there hasn’t been much to fulfill its mandate to improve visibility on wet roads, even with decades of testing and newer technology.
There have been strides, like enhancing the aerodynamics of trucks and their trailers, but splashes and sprays remain a constant problem.
Truck tires still pick up and fling standing water on roadways to whatever is nearby, and it causes more than just irritation. Visibility is already limited during rain, and if you’re driving an 18-wheeler, then your visibility can drastically tank if your truck is not as aerodynamic as others or equipped with the right tech to help. It can be a danger to truck drivers and other vehicles.
There’s also the matter of road spray speeding up corrosion and dirt infiltration. The right equipment can not only help visibility, but also save on fuel and protect your truck.
What can you do?
- Trailer Side Skirts. Front and rear end also help keep the spray out from under your truck.
- Slotted mud flaps. These allow air to pass through and trap spray instead of the water hitting a flat, solid surface, so they help increase visibility and save on fuel with less air resistance.
There are a bunch of brand technologies like the ones above, but fleets don’t often see the benefits of these protectors. Not only do they help against spray and splash, but they can help save on fuel costs, keep your truck clean, and keep water and dirt from getting where it isn’t supposed to be.
Hopefully this includes large pickup trucks…especially the duallies.
I’ve had several windshield broken due to duallies kicking up road debris.
Many are only slightly smaller than my T2000.
One problem is i see alot i mean alot of drivers doing it on purpose .
I don’t like saying or seeing it but its true.
Im 61 uears old and got my Class 8 at 26 years old and been driving since. Thats what they called it in the 70s.
And the new 21 to 20 + drivers suck.
More rules and regulations, less common sense! Good idea!! Maybe just eliminate trucks!! See how that works for ya!!
It is best to have the protection.
You want safer highways in inclement weather I’m all for it,but there are other things to consider. All the cars worry about spray coming from my vehicle, I can understand the problem, but don’t blame unsafe conditions on the trucks. Most states have headlight laws in place , but because of more pressing issues they are rarely if ever enforced. It would be nice for all law enforcement to have public service announcements about proper use of headlights in bad weather. Either that or mandate auto manufacturers to build vehicles that when they are in gear the headlights are on, the switch can be wired into the gearshift to accomplish this. It doesn’t matter if it’s rain, snow, fog or smoke people just don’t care for their safety, and I for one don’t want any more responsibility for others lives on my hands.