Keep Space Ahead of Your Vehicle
- Allows you to safely stop.
- One second for each 10 feet of vehicle length at speeds below 40 mph.
- At speeds above 40 mph, add 1 second for safety.
- Use posted objects on the road to maintain a steady pace.
Deal With Tailgaters Safely
- Stay to the right so you are not holding up traffic.
- Avoid quick changes.
- Increase your following distance.
- Don’t speed up.
- Don’t turn on tail lights or flash brake lights.
Keep Space Beside Your Vehicle
- Stay centered in the lane.
- Do not travel next to others for extended periods of time.
- This can lead to:
- Crashes due to sudden lane changes.
- Strong winds can blow you into another lane.
Pay Attention to Your Overhead Clearance
- Don’t assume posted heights are correct.
- The weight of a vehicle changes it height.
- Go slowly if you are not sure.
Space Below
- Can be very small when vehicle is heavily loaded.
- Often a problem on dirt and unpaved roads.
- Cross depressions and railroad tracks carefully.
Space for Turns
- Turn slowly to give yourself and others time to avoid problems.
- Turn wide as you complete the turn if necessary.
- Don’t turn wide to the left as you are starting the turn.
- Watch out for vehicles coming toward you and give them room to go by and stop.
- If making a left turn, make sure you have reached the center of the intersection before you begin the turn.
Space for Interacting with Traffic
- Be aware of the space you need to cross or enter traffic.
- You will need a much larger gap due to slow acceleration and size.
Hazards
- A hazard is any road condition or user that is a possible danger.
- Pay attention so you can see hazards before they impact your driving.
- Drive slowly and carefully and signal appropriately.
- Types of hazards:
- Hazardous Roads.
- Work zones, drop offs, foreign objects and off/on ramps.
- Hazardous People.
- People who can’t see others.
- Delivery trucks.
- Parked vehicles.
- Distracted drivers.
- Children.
- Talkers.
- Roadway workers.
- Ice cream trucks.
- Pedestrians.
- Bicyclists.
- Shoppers.
- Confused drivers.
- Slow drivers.
- Drivers signalling a turn.
- Drivers in a hurry.
- Impaired drivers.
- Disabled vehicles.
- Accidents.
- Conflict.
- A conflict is caused when you change speed or direction to avoid hitting someone.
- Can occur at intersections, merges and where lane changes happen.
- Hazardous Roads.