One thing most motorists don’t usually think about too much is driving in high-speed crosswinds. It may take a little getting used to, but it’s not that difficult – unless of course you’re in a tiny city car that feels like it could be blown off the road.
However, while most passenger car drivers can deal with crosswinds quite easily, it is a much more difficult task for truck drivers.
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If a gust of wind hits the side of a truck, and particularly a large semi, the vehicle’s huge surface and high center of gravity might cause it to topple over. Which is exactly what happened to one truck earlier this week in Texas.
The dashcam footage shows the truck cruising along a two-lane highway when strong gusts of winds between 50 mph (80 km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h) begin to push it to the right. Moments later, a strong gust of wind pushes the vehicle on to its side. It proceeds to slide along the road for a good 100 or so feet before coming to a rest half on the highway and half on the grass median strip.
If you’re driving a truck at highway speeds and encounter strong winds, the only way to to avoid this from happening is slow down dramatically. However, the safest option is to simply park when there are strong winds and to wait until the huge gusts subside.