California shared space roads drivers#
California shared space roads driver#

California shared space roads driver#

Many collisions involving a passenger vehicle and large truck occur at intersections, when the passenger vehicle’s driver did not realize how close the truck was or how fast it was traveling.ĭo not drive through a safety zone, which is a space set aside for pedestrians, marked by raised buttons or markers on a roadway.

Underestimating the size and speed of an approaching tractor-trailer. A large tractor-trailer often appears to be traveling at a slower speed because of its large size.

Tailgating a truck, or any vehicle, is dangerous because you decrease your own safety distance if the vehicle in front of you stops quickly.

Following too closely or tailgating. When you follow so closely behind a truck that you cannot see the truck driver’s side view mirrors, the trucker cannot see you and has no way of knowing you are there.

Otherwise, you make it very difficult, if not impossible, for the trucker to take evasive action if an obstacle appears in the road ahead.

Lingering alongside a truck when passing. Always pass a large truck on the left side, and after you pass the truck, move ahead of it.

Take a moment to slow down and exit behind a truck. Do not speed up to pass a truck, so you can exit the roadway. Slow down and take your turn entering the construction zone.

Cutting off a truck in traffic or on the highway to reach an exit or turn. Cutting into the open space in front of a truck is dangerous.

On a divided highway with 4 or more traffic lanes in one direction, these vehicles may also be driven in the lane just to the left of the right lane.Īvoid these mistakes when driving around large trucks: When no signs are posted, these vehicles must be driven in the right traffic lane or as close as possible to the right edge of the roadway. They take more space for turns and weigh more. Large trucks have longer stopping and starting distances. Trucks are not as maneuverable as passenger vehicles. If the truck appears to be turning left, check the turn signals again the driver may actually be turning right but first swinging wide. When you follow a big rig, look at its turn signals before you start to pass.

California shared space roads drivers#

This is why big rig drivers must often swing wide to complete a right turn. The longer the vehicle, the greater the difference in the turning path. When a vehicle makes a turn, the rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front wheels. Generally speaking, if you cannot see the truck driver in their side mirror, they cannot see you. If you stay in those blind spots, you block the trucker’s ability to take evasive action to avoid a dangerous situation. While truckers do have a better forward view and bigger mirrors, they still have large blind spots or “NO ZONES” where your vehicle can disappear from a truck driver’s view. Passenger vehicle drivers incorrectly assume that a trucker can see the road better because they are higher off the road. Shaded areas are the driver’s blind spots. The truck driver will not be able to stop quickly enough to avoid crashing into you. Do not move in front of a large truck and suddenly slow down or stop. However, a large truck traveling at the same speed can take almost 800 feet to stop. The average passenger vehicle traveling at 55 mph can stop within 400 feet. Large trucks take longer to stop than passenger vehicles traveling at the same speed. To reduce the chance of having a collision with a large truck or RV, you must be familiar with a big rig’s physical capabilities and how it maneuvers.

Large Trucks (Big Rigs) and Recreational Vehicles (RVs)