Commercial vehicles — Michigan Permit Test

A passenger vehicle at 55 mph can stop in about 130 feet; a commercial vehicle at the same speed takes about 400 feet.

A loaded truck weighs many times more than a car, so it cannot stop short behind you.

A commercial vehicle traveling at the same speed takes about 400 feet to stop.

A passenger vehicle traveling at 55 mph can stop in about 130 feet.

Knowing your own stopping distance helps you judge how much space to leave ahead.

A passenger vehicle traveling at 55 mph can stop in about 130 feet.

Keep a safe distance behind a commercial vehicle and do not draft off of it; when you drive right behind one, the driver cannot see you and you cannot see the road ahead.

Tailgating a truck hides you from its driver and hides the road from you.

When you drive right behind a commercial vehicle, the driver cannot see you, and you are severely limited as to what you can see on the road ahead.

Extend your distance behind a commercial vehicle even more as weather or road conditions deteriorate.

Bad roads lengthen everyone's stopping distance, and spray from a truck cuts what you can see.

Extend the distance between your vehicle and a commercial vehicle even more as weather or road conditions deteriorate.

Large trucks have blind spots, or "no zones," where motorists should not linger because the driver cannot readily see them.

A truck changing lanes or turning can hit a car it cannot see.

Large commercial trucks have blind spots or “no zones”

Commercial vehicles may swing wide to the left to make a right turn; when you see one signaling right at an intersection, expect a wide right turn.

The trailer cuts inside the turn, so the cab has to swing out first.

They may swing wide to the left to safely negotiate a right turn.

Stop behind the white stop line, because if you stop past it a commercial vehicle may not be able to complete its turn without hitting you.

The line leaves room for a long vehicle's turn.

If you stop past the line, a commercial vehicle may not be able to complete its turn without hitting you.

Never cross behind a commercial vehicle that is preparing to back up or is backing up; most trailers are eight and a half feet wide and can hide a car.

The truck driver cannot see a car directly behind the trailer at all.

Never cross behind a commercial vehicle that is preparing to back up or is backing up.

When merging onto a freeway near commercial vehicles, match the flow of traffic as closely as possible, pick your spot and go, because the truck may not be able to move over.

A heavy truck cannot always change lanes or slow down to let you in.

When merging onto the freeway, commercial vehicles may not be able to move over, so match the flow of traffic as closely as possible, pick your spot and go.

At 55 mph, about how far does a commercial vehicle take to stop?

About 400 feet. A loaded truck weighs many times more than a car, so it cannot stop short behind you. What Every Driver Must Know, p.53: “A commercial vehicle traveling at the same speed takes about 400 feet to stop.”