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Difficulty: HardEvasive Steering and Avoiding Collisions

You are operating a commercial vehicle at 45 mph when a fallen utility pole suddenly obstructs your travel lane 70 feet ahead, leaving inadequate distance to bring the vehicle to a complete stop before impact. The right paved shoulder is clear and accessible. Which procedure must you follow to safely execute an evasive maneuver around this obstruction?

  1. A
    Apply firm, continuous service brake pressure while turning the steering wheel sharply toward the shoulder to combine braking power with directional change.
  2. Steer only as much as necessary onto the shoulder without applying the brakes, then immediately counter-steer to stabilize the vehicle's direction.Answer
  3. C
    Turn the steering wheel firmly toward the shoulder and maintain that fixed steering angle until the vehicle comes to a complete halt off the roadway.
  4. D
    Pump the service brakes aggressively while rotating the steering wheel beyond a full half-turn to clear the obstruction rapidly.

Answer

Steer only as much as necessary onto the shoulder without applying the brakes, then immediately counter-steer to stabilize the vehicle's direction.
When an obstacle is too close to allow a full stop, evasive steering is the proper technique. The commercial driver must steer smoothly using only the minimal rotation necessary to clear the hazard without touching the brake pedal. Once the vehicle clears the hazard, the driver must immediately counter-steer to stabilize vehicle direction and prevent secondary collisions or rollover.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess the stopping versus steering feasibility
Recognize that stopping distance at 45 mph exceeds 70 feet, making evasive steering the only viable collision avoidance method.
A heavy commercial vehicle can almost always turn to avoid an obstacle in a shorter distance than it can stop.
2
Execute the primary steering movement without braking
Direct the vehicle onto the clear shoulder using only the minimum steering input necessary to clear the fallen pole.
Applying brakes while making a sharp turn locks wheels or induces severe lateral skidding and jackknifing.
3
Execute an immediate counter-steer
Turn the steering wheel back in the opposite direction as soon as the vehicle clears the obstruction to re-establish a straight trajectory.
Counter-steering is critical to prevent the vehicle from continuing off the roadway or rolling over due to lateral weight transfer.

Key Concept

Evasive Steering and Collision Avoidance Mechanics
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Evasive Steering and Avoiding Collisions

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