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Question

Difficulty: HardSpace to the Sides

A combination truck is entering an interstate construction corridor where travel lanes are temporarily restricted to 10.5 feet. A continuous concrete barrier borders the left shoulder, and a flatbed carrying wide structural steel travels directly alongside in the adjacent right lane. Which lateral space management action should the driver take to minimize collision risk?

  1. A
    Position the rig tightly against the left concrete barrier to provide maximum clearance for the adjacent wide cargo.
  2. Adjust speed to drop behind or pass ahead of the adjacent vehicle, eliminating the side-by-side entrapment condition.Answer
  3. C
    Maintain identical speed directly abreast of the flatbed to share the remaining lane buffer evenly between both commercial vehicles.
  4. D
    Straddle the lane dividing line to signal the adjacent driver to shift rightward onto the work zone shoulder.

Answer

Adjust speed to drop behind or pass ahead of the adjacent vehicle, eliminating the side-by-side entrapment condition.
Defensive driving principles dictate that commercial drivers should avoid traveling directly alongside other vehicles whenever possible. In constricted work zones with narrow lanes and rigid barriers, side-by-side entrapment removes all escape routes. Adjusting speed to drop behind or move ahead eliminates the lateral hazard and re-establishes a safe space cushion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess lateral space constraints and identify critical side hazards
Recognize that a 10.5-foot restricted lane with a left barrier and an adjacent wide load leaves negligible lateral clearance on both sides.
Commercial vehicles require approximately 8 to 8.5 feet of lane width, leaving almost no room for lateral drift in narrowed lanes.
2
Evaluate the risk of traveling alongside other vehicles
Identify side-by-side entrapment as a primary hazard that eliminates all lateral escape paths.
When trapped between a solid barrier and an adjacent vehicle, any sudden movement or trailer sway will cause an immediate collision.
3
Select the appropriate defensive speed and positioning maneuver
Decelerate smoothly to fall back (or accelerate safely if clear ahead) to open lateral space cushions.
Eliminating the adjacent vehicle presence re-establishes a side space buffer and provides room to maneuver.

Key Concept

Side space management and preventing side-by-side entrapment in narrow lanes
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Space to the Sides

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