Right Turn With a 53-Foot Trailer and a Car on the Left
A driver is turning right from a three-lane one-way street onto a two-lane street. His combination is a 3-axle tractor and a 53-foot trailer. The right-turn lane is 12 feet wide; the curb radius is 25 feet. A utility pole sits 6 feet from the curb on the right corner, and a cyclist is stopped in the bike lane just before the crosswalk. A car is stopped in the middle lane, also signaling right. The driver plans to swing left into the middle lane to make the turn, because he knows the trailer's rear wheels will off-track. The light is green, and the car on the left has not moved. The driver's rear trailer tires are about 8 feet behind his line of sight in the right mirror.
1. Evaluate the driver's plan to swing left into the middle lane. What are the specific hazards, and what is the correct lane position?
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The plan to swing left into the middle lane is unsafe. The middle lane is occupied by a car signaling right, so the driver would be moving into another vehicle's space and could sideswipe it or force it into the curb. Swinging left also does not solve off-tracking; it can make the tail swing worse and put the trailer's rear over the line on the left.
The correct position is the rightmost right-turn lane. The driver may position the tractor slightly left within that 12-foot lane to create room, but he must not cross into the middle lane. He should wait for the cyclist to clear and for the car on the left to either commit or stop. He should use the right mirror to watch the trailer's right rear tires and the utility pole. If the turn cannot be made without entering another lane, he should wait or take another route, not force the turn.
2. When should the driver begin the turn, and what should he watch in the mirrors?
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He should move forward until the tractor's rear axle is at or just past the corner, then begin a slow, smooth right turn. Turning too early makes the trailer's rear wheels cut the corner and hit the curb or the pole; turning too late risks hitting the far curb or crossing the lane. He should keep the tractor close to the left side of the right lane, not hug the right curb, and keep the wheels rolling slowly.
In the right mirror he should watch the trailer's right rear tires, the gap to the curb and pole, and the trailer's side clearance. He should also check the left mirror for the car and the front for the cyclist. If the trailer tires approach the curb or pole, he should stop, pull forward, or adjust; he should not swing left into the occupied lane. A spotter can help, but the driver remains responsible for the swept path.
3. If the car in the middle lane also turns right, what should the driver do?
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If the car in the middle lane also turns right, the driver should not turn into it. The car may cut across the driver's path or sit in the blind spot on the right side. The driver should stop before the crosswalk, let the car complete its turn or move ahead, and then proceed when the right lane and the trailer's path are clear.
Trying to race the car or swing wide to get around it increases the chance of a sideswipe and puts the cyclist at risk. The driver should yield, recheck both mirrors, and complete the turn one movement at a time. If the intersection is too tight for the combination, waiting for a clear lane or choosing a different route is safer than forcing the turn.