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Difficulty: HardSpace Behind and Tailgaters

As you navigate a heavy tractor-trailer through a congested urban expressway corridor with intermittent slowdowns, a compact sedan begins following inches from your rear bumper. Which defensive driving measure is most appropriate to prevent a rear-end collision?

  1. A
    Pump the service brakes quickly to illuminate the stop lamps and warn the trailing motorist to back away.
  2. B
    Press the accelerator to match the trailing driver's desired speed and outrun the vehicle.
  3. Ease off the throttle to create a larger safety cushion between your vehicle and the traffic ahead.Answer
  4. D
    Steer onto the paved shoulder immediately to let the trailing motorist pass around you.

Answer

Ease off the throttle to create a larger safety cushion between your vehicle and the traffic ahead.
When being tailgated, a commercial driver must enlarge the space cushion ahead of their vehicle. Because a driver cannot control the following vehicle, expanding the space ahead ensures that any needed deceleration can be performed smoothly and gradually, giving the tailgater sufficient time and distance to stop safely.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess the immediate risk posed by the tailgating vehicle.
Recognize that the commercial driver cannot control the trailing vehicle's actions directly, but must prevent scenarios requiring abrupt braking.
Sudden stops by a commercial motor vehicle leave a tailgater with insufficient perception, reaction, and braking distance.
2
Adjust the forward space cushion by gently decelerating.
The gap between the commercial vehicle and forward traffic expands.
A greater gap ahead allows the driver to perceive downstream traffic changes early and stop slowly and smoothly if traffic halts.
3
Maintain predictable lane positioning and avoid retaliatory or abrupt maneuvers.
The tailgater is provided a steady, predictable path and safe opportunities to change lanes and pass.
Defensive driving principles require avoiding brake tapping, rapid speeding, or shoulder driving when managing close followers.

Key Concept

Managing space behind and tailgaters defensively
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Space Behind and Tailgaters

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