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Difficulty: HardLarge Commercial Trucks and No-Zones

You are traveling in the right lane approaching an urban intersection. A large commercial tractor-trailer ahead in the left-adjacent lane activates its right-turn signal and begins swinging left into your lane before initiating the turn. What is the safest and legally correct driving action for you to take?

  1. A
    Accelerate quickly to pass the truck on its right side before it turns, taking advantage of the space created when it drifted left.
  2. Stay behind the truck and yield the space, allowing it to complete the wide right turn without pulling into its right-side blind spot.Answer
  3. C
    Maintain your speed and drive up to the intersection stop line, as vehicles continuing straight in the right lane have unconditional right-of-way.
  4. D
    Pull up alongside the truck's rear trailer tires and sound your horn repeatedly to warn the truck driver that they are blocking your lane.

Answer

Stay behind the truck and yield the space, allowing it to complete the wide right turn without pulling into its right-side blind spot.
Because of their length and wheel base, large commercial vehicles must swing wide to the left before making a right turn so that the rear trailer wheels clear the curb corner (off-tracking). Drivers following or alongside must stay back and yield space, as pulling into the gap on the truck's right side places the vehicle in a major No-Zone and causes a collision known as a 'squeeze play'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the commercial vehicle's turn maneuver.
Recognize that due to off-tracking (where rear wheels follow a tighter path than front wheels), large trucks must swing wide to the left to execute a right turn.
Large vehicles require additional off-tracking clearance to avoid running over curbs, signposts, or pedestrians.
2
Evaluate the risk zone surrounding the turning truck.
Identify the open space to the right of the truck as a severe right-side No-Zone and 'squeeze play' trap.
The truck driver cannot see passenger vehicles attempting to squeeze between the truck's right side and the curb.
3
Select the appropriate defensive action.
Remain stopped or slowed behind the truck until the turn is fully executed.
Yielding the necessary space ensures safety and prevents catastrophic side-squeeze collisions.

Key Concept

Commercial Truck Wide Right Turns and Squeeze-Play Safety
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Large Commercial Trucks and No-Zones

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