It may sound obvious, but trucks are not large cars. To reduce the chance of a crash with a large tractor-trailer, the so-called “18-wheeler,” motorists must be familiar with a truck’s physical capabilities and common maneuvers. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 71 percent of fatal crashes involving two or more vehicles--in which one is a truck--are caused by the other vehicle, usually a car.

Braking

Tractor-trailers take longer to stop than a car traveling at the same speed. The average passenger car traveling at 55 mph can stop in about 130-140 feet, less than half the length of a football field. A fully-loaded tractor-trailer may take more than 400 feet to come to a complete stop, or one-third more than the length of a football field.

Semi-tractor trailer trucks: By Mark Wolfe (from the FEMA Photo Library.),Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Turning

With any turning vehicle, the rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front wheels, the longer the vehicle, the greater the difference. That’s why the drivers of tractor-trailers must often swing out to the left as the first step in making a right turn. When following a tractor-trailer, observe its turn signals before trying to pass. If it appears to be starting a left turn, wait a moment to check and see which way the driver is going to turn before passing on the right.

A Trucker’s Blind Spots

It is important to be seen whenever you are driving. Many motorists falsely assume that truckers can see the road better because they sit twice as high as the driver of a car. While truckers do enjoy a better forward view and have bigger mirrors, they still have SERIOUS BLIND SPOTS into which a car can disappear from view — UP TO 20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAB, ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER, PARTICULARLY ALONGSIDE THE CAB, AND UP TO 200 FEET IN THE REAR.

Motorists lingering in blind spots on the sides or at the rear of large trucks hamper the truckers’ ability to take evasive action to avoid dangerous situations--thus increasing the possibility of a crash. An excellent rule of thumb for motorists sharing the road with a tractor-trailer is, “if you can’t see the truck driver in his side mirror, he can’t see you.”

Maneuverability

Trucks are designed to carry products to and from towns and cities; they are not designed to be as maneuverable as cars.

Trucks have longer stopping and accelerating distances, a wider turning radius, and weigh more. On multi-lane highways tractor-trailers stay in the center lane to help the flow of local traffic on and off the highway. Staying in the middle lane also increases a truck driver’s options if he or she has to switch lanes in order to avoid a dangerous situation or a crash.

Listed below are common mistakes motorists must avoid when driving around trucks:

Cutting off a truck in traffic or on the highway to reach your exit or turn. Cutting into the open space in front of a truck removes the truck driver’s cushion of safety. Trying to beat a truck to a single-lane construction zone represents a particularly dangerous situation. Take a moment to slow down and exit behind a truck—it takes only a few extra seconds and can avoid causing a crash.
Don’t linger alongside a truck when passing. Always pass a tractor-trailer completely and always on the left side. If you linger when passing, your position makes it impossible for the trucker to take evasive action if an obstacle appears in the road ahead.
Following too close or tailgating. When following behind a truck, if you can’t see the truck driver’s rear view mirrors, there is no way the truck driver can see you. Tailgating a truck or car is dangerous because you take away your own cushion of safety if the vehicle in front of you stops suddenly, and if the vehicle you are following hits something in the road, you will have no time to react before it hits your car.
Never underestimate the size and speed of an approaching tractor-trailer. Because of its large size, a tractor-trailer often appears to be traveling at a slower speed than it is. A substantial number of car-truck collisions take place at intersections because the driver of the car does not realize how close the truck is or how quickly it is approaching.

(Select the links "The No Zone" and "Truck Smart Video")

10.01 Share the Road With Trucks and Large Vehicles Video and Link

The No Zone

California DMV - Sharing the Road #4 - The "No Zone"

Truck Smart Web Site and Videos

http://utahmc.com/trucksmart/

Once you are on the Truck Smart web site look to the right, there you will find five videos. They include driving behaviors you should avoid while driving around big trucks. Watch all videos.

Cut Off - funny ad
Know the No-Zone
Don't Cut Off A Truck
Stopping Distances
Wide Turns

After you have viewed the videos, take the Web Site's Truck Smart Quiz located on the left side under Quick Links. This includes a 20-question quiz. Complete the quiz and review your responses.

If you do this assignment correctly, you will know the correct answers for this course's quiz and you should score 100%.

10.01 Share the Road With Trucks and Large Vehicles Quiz

computer-scored 10 points possible 30 minutes

After completing the readings and activities, click next to take the Truck Smart Videos Quiz

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