Sharing the Road and Space Management
Space is safety
Large vehicles need more room to stop and turn. Sharing the road means predicting what others will do and leaving yourself an out.
Concepts to master
- Following distance: One second per 10 feet of vehicle length, plus one second above 40 mph.
- No-zones: Blind spots around a CMV - in front, behind, and along both sides. If you cannot see a driver's mirrors, they cannot see you.
- Passing: Pass only when you can see far enough ahead and have room to return.
- Being passed: Slow down slightly and keep right to help others pass.
- Pedestrians and cyclists: Give them room; they are hard to see near a large vehicle.
- Railroad crossings: Slow down, look, and listen; never stop on the tracks.
- Work zones: Slow down and watch for workers and narrowed lanes.
Traps
Questions ask whether to speed up when being passed (no, slow slightly) or how far back to stay from a cyclist. Another trap: a CMV's blind spot in front extends far beyond the hood.
Worked example
You are following a 60-foot rig at 55 mph. Minimum following distance = 6 seconds plus 1 for speed = 7 seconds. At 55 mph that is about 80 feet per second, so roughly 560 feet - leave that gap even if a car cuts in.
Rule of thumb
If you cannot see the other driver's mirrors, assume they cannot see you.