This Session
contains the following topics:
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TRUCK AND MOTORCYCLE SAFETY |
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PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES |
TRUCK AND MOTORCYCLE SAFETY
Semi. Mack. Big rig. Whatever name you know them by, tractor trailer trucks
deserve your attention and your respect. No matter what you drive, you are no match for the
power of a large truck. You need to know the special requirements of trucks, and you need to
follow some guidelines to honor those requirements, in order to safely share the road with the big boys.
The enormous weight of a large truck affects its ability to start, stop, pass, and move in general.
It takes a long stretch of pavement to slow down all those tons of steel and rubber.
Keep that in mind when you’re driving ahead of a rig; signal your intentions to turn or stop well in advance.
You might be able to make last-minute decisions in your sub-compact, but that semi won’t be able to.
Likewise, that semi needs lots of time to get up to speed after a stop, and you need to give it that time, and space.
If you are behind one of these rigs at a stop light, don’t expect to take off as you normally would; you will end
up with a closer view of its mud flaps than you care for. If you are following at a distance, and see the light
change to green, don’t bet that the truck will be moving at your speed by the time you reach the light.
Take your foot off the gas, slow down, and be prepared to stop, even if the light is green.
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| These big boys often weigh in at 30 to 40 tons. |
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