A 3-minute lesson from the Washington course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Trucks and buses need more time to stop, more room to turn, and have big blind zones. Farm vehicles move slowly. You need more time and space around all of them, and cutting them off is dangerous for everyone.
Know the rule
Visibility: when following a large vehicle, adjust your following distance so you have a wide view of the road ahead.
Blind zones: large vehicles have blind zones on each side. If you can't see the driver's mirrors, the driver can't see you. Avoid driving alongside them for too long.
Merging: before pulling in front of a large vehicle, wait until you can clearly see both of its headlights in your rearview mirror. Then keep up with traffic.
Turning: large vehicles may need more than one lane to turn, and 2 lanes in a roundabout. Don't pass one while it's turning; that's a frequent cause of collisions with large vehicles.
You're merging back into the right lane after passing a semi. Glance in your rearview mirror: once you see both of the truck's headlights, there's enough room to move in front of it.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
About how far does it take a loaded truck traveling 55 mph to come to a complete stop?
450 feet
150 feet
800 feet
250 feet
Answer: 450 feet
A loaded truck with properly adjusted brakes traveling 55 mph needs about 450 feet to stop.
