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Question

Difficulty: MediumLarge Commercial Trucks and No-Zones

You are driving behind a large commercial truck approaching an urban intersection. The truck driver turns on the right turn signal but shifts slightly into the left adjacent lane before making the turn. Why does the truck driver perform this maneuver?

  1. A
    To allow trailing passenger vehicles to safely pass on the right side.
  2. To provide clearance for the rear wheels to turn without mounting the curb.Answer
  3. C
    To signal to surrounding traffic that the vehicle is coming to a complete stop.
  4. D
    To eliminate the driver's left-side blind spot before negotiating the corner.

Answer

The truck driver swings wide to the left to provide sufficient space for the rear wheels to clear the curb during a right turn.
Large tractor-trailers experience off-tracking, meaning the rear trailer wheels follow a significantly shorter path than the front steering wheels during a turn. Drivers must swing wide to the left before turning right to ensure the rear wheels clear the curb safely.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the physical off-tracking characteristics of long commercial vehicles.
Identify that the long distance between front and rear axles causes the trailer's rear wheels to follow a shorter turning radius than the front cab.
Without swinging wide to the left, the rear wheels would cut across the sidewalk or strike curb hazards.
2
Evaluate safe driver positioning behind a turning commercial vehicle.
Recognize that trailing drivers must stay back and avoid passing on the right.
Attempting to pass on the right creates a severe squeeze-play accident within the truck's blind spot.

Key Concept

Commercial Vehicle Off-Tracking and Wide Turning Leeway
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Large Commercial Trucks and No-Zones

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