Sharing the road with large vehicles — Alabama Permit Test

No-Zones are danger areas around trucks and buses where crashes are more likely, and some are blind spots where your car disappears from the driver's view.

A truck driver cannot avoid a car they cannot see, so lingering in a No-Zone leaves you at their mercy.

No-Zones are danger areas around trucks and buses where crashes are more likely to occur.

If you cannot see the driver's face in a truck or bus side mirror, the driver cannot see you.

The mirror works both ways, so it is the quickest test of whether you are hidden.

If you can’t see the driver’s face in the side-view mirror, the driver can’t see you.

When passing a truck or bus, try to pass on the left, do it as quickly as possible, and do not ride alongside it.

Trucks have large blind spots on both sides, so the less time you spend beside one the safer you are.

When passing a truck or bus, always try to pass on the left and do it as quickly as possible.

Trucks and buses have rear No-Zones directly behind them that may extend as far as 200 feet; avoid tailgating them.

The driver cannot see you back there, and you cannot see what is happening ahead of the truck.

Unlike cars, trucks and buses have huge no-zones directly behind them that may extend as far as 200 feet.

When following a large vehicle at night, always dim your headlights, because bright lights reflect off its side mirrors and blind the driver.

A truck driver blinded by glare in the mirrors cannot see the road or the traffic around them.

Bright lights will blind the driver when they reflect off the side mirrors of the bus or truck.

At 55 mph, a passenger car needs 193 feet to stop safely and a loaded truck needs 430 feet.

A truck needs more than twice the room to stop, so cutting in front of one takes away the space it needs.

A National Safety Council study of reaction time and braking distance found that at speeds of 55 miles per hour, a passenger car needs 193 feet to stop safely and a loaded truck needs 430 feet.

After passing a truck and pulling in front of it, do not slow down; truck and bus drivers need nearly two times more room to stop.

A truck needs nearly twice the room to stop, so pulling in close and braking leaves it nowhere to go.

Look for the entire front of the vehicle in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front and don’t slow down.

Never cross behind a truck or bus that is backing up; its driver cannot see directly behind it.

A backing truck is moving into a space its driver cannot see.

Never cross behind a truck or bus that is backing up.

Trucks and buses swing wide to the left to make a right turn, so when a truck's right signal is blinking, do not try to pass it on the right.

A car that slips into the gap on the right is trapped there as the truck finishes its turn.

When the right turn signal is blinking, do not attempt to pass on the right.

What is a No-Zone?

A danger area around a truck or bus. A truck driver cannot avoid a car they cannot see, so lingering in a No-Zone leaves you at their mercy. Alabama Driver Manual, p.27: “No-Zones are danger areas around trucks and buses where crashes are more likely to occur.”