You are driving along a rural single-carriageway road and approach a sharp left-hand bend. An oncoming articulated Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) is negotiating the bend, causing its rear trailer wheels to cut across the centre line into your lane. In which chronological order should you carry out the following actions to safely manage this hazard?
- 1Check your rear-view mirrors and ease off the accelerator to begin decelerating immediately upon recognising the oncoming vehicle's swept path.
- 2Apply progressive braking to bring your vehicle to a complete, controlled stop well before the start of the bend.
- 3Hold your stationary position safely back from the centre line, allowing the long vehicle sufficient space to complete its turning arc.
- 4Check your mirrors, re-assess the road ahead, and proceed only after the entire length of the trailer has fully cleared your lane.
Answer
1. Check rear-view mirrors and ease off the accelerator; 2. Apply progressive braking to stop well before the bend; 3. Hold a stationary position back from the centre line to allow room; 4. Re-assess the road and proceed only when the entire trailer has cleared the lane.
Long articulated vehicles suffer from off-tracking, where the rear trailer wheels follow a tighter arc than the front tractor unit. When an oncoming LGV negotiates a sharp bend, its trailer often crosses the centre line. The correct procedural response requires early mirror checks and deceleration, followed by stopping well short of the bend, holding position until the entire vehicle and trailer pass, and finally checking that the road ahead is completely clear before moving off.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) swept path and off-tracking on bends
Estimated Time:1m 15s