Following a loaded log truck on wet Queens Road
You are driving a company Hilux from Navua toward Suva on Queens Road at about 6:10 pm. The posted limit is 80 km/h. Rain has eased to drizzle, but the seal is wet and there is standing water in the left wheel tracks. Ahead is a six-wheel truck loaded with mahogany logs; its brake lights flicker as it slows for a dip. You are travelling at 65 km/h with your front bumper about 20 m behind the truck’s rear. Your tray is lightly loaded and your tyres are about half worn. Three cars are queued behind you, and an oncoming van is about 150 m away. You must decide whether to stay at this gap, drop back, or overtake before a blind left bend roughly 200 m ahead.
1. At 65 km/h, what following gap does a 2-second dry-road rule and a 4-second wet-road rule give in metres, and how does the actual 20 m gap compare?
Read the worked answer
Convert speed to metres per second: 65 ÷ 3.6 = 18.1 m/s. A 2-second gap is 18.1 × 2 = about 36 m. A 4-second wet-road gap is 18.1 × 4 = about 72 m. The actual 20 m gap is only about 1.1 seconds of travel at 65 km/h. That is less than one-third of the wet-road minimum and even well short of the dry-road minimum. The calculation matters because the truck is heavy, its brake lights are already flickering, and the road has standing water. You need the longer gap to allow for your own reaction time, reduced wet grip, spray limiting your view, and the truck’s longer stopping distance. Dropping back to at least 70 m is the safer starting point, and more space would be better until the road dries and visibility improves.
2. Should you overtake before the bend? Give at least four reasons from the setup.
Read the worked answer
No. First, the road is wet and there is standing water, so grip is reduced and spray from the truck will further cut your view. Second, the bend about 200 m ahead is blind, so you cannot confirm that the overtaking lane will stay clear. Third, an oncoming van is only about 150 m away; even if it is in its own lane, it removes the margin for error if the truck moves or you meet water mid-overtake. Fourth, the truck is carrying logs, so a sudden swerve or brake by the truck is a serious hazard and you do not want to be alongside it. Your tyres are half worn and the tray is lightly loaded, which can make the Hilux less stable under braking or on wet seal. Finally, three cars are queued behind you, which can pressure you into a rushed move. The correct judgement is to drop back, keep the wipers and lights on, and wait for a straight, dry section with a clear view and no oncoming traffic.
3. The truck’s brake lights stay on and it slows sharply. What do you do, and why should you not swerve into the oncoming lane?
Read the worked answer
Release the accelerator and brake firmly but progressively, keeping the steering straight at first. If the Hilux has ABS, maintain steady pressure and steer only if there is a clear escape path; if it does not, use cadenced braking to avoid locking the front wheels. Do not swerve into the oncoming lane: the van is approaching, the road is wet, and a loaded log truck may stop unpredictably. Swerving also risks a loss of control on standing water and could put you into the path of the oncoming van or off the shoulder. Keep as much straight-line braking distance as possible, use hazard lights after you have stopped or if you are moving slowly, and leave room for the truck to recover. If a collision is unavoidable, reduce speed as much as possible and avoid the truck’s rear wheels and load; do not aim for the oncoming lane.