Large truck general — Nebraska Permit Test

A loaded truck with good tires and brakes, traveling at 55 MPH on a clear, dry road, needs a minimum of 340 feet to stop.

Cut in front of a truck and slow down, and it may need more than a football field to stop behind you.

A loaded truck with good tires and properly adjusted brakes, traveling at 55 MPH on a clear, dry roadway, requires a minimum of 340 feet to come to a complete stop.

Do not abruptly enter the roadway in front of a large vehicle, and when turning off the road, avoid changing lanes in front of one.

A truck cannot stop short when a car slips in front of it and then brakes to turn.

If turning from the roadway, avoid changing lanes in front of a large vehicle.

On steep grades, larger vehicles often drive slower and use the right lane.

A car coming fast up behind a truck crawling up a hill can close the gap before the driver sees it.

When traveling up or down steep grades, larger vehicles often drive slower and use the right lane.

Avoid driving in the right lane on hills and near truck weigh stations, where trucks re-enter faster traffic, to avoid rear-ending or being rear-ended by one.

Slow trucks pull back onto the highway near a weigh station, and a car in the right lane runs into one.

Avoid driving in the right lane when traveling up or down hills, as well as in the vicinity of truck weigh stations,

Avoid driving near vehicles carrying hazardous materials, which are marked with the type of load, such as Explosives, Poison or Flammable.

If a crash spills or lights the load, the cars closest to the truck are the ones caught in it.

Avoid driving near vehicles carrying hazardous materials.

Trucks and buses have air brakes, which do not work instantly like hydraulic brakes, so do not make sudden stops in front of large vehicles.

The truck's brakes take a moment to grab, and in that moment it rolls into the back of your car.

Air brakes do not operate instantly as do hydraulic brakes.

On long steep hills, a Slow Traffic Keep Right sign with an extra right lane lets slower vehicles move right so other traffic can pass on the grade.

A car stuck behind a slow truck on a long grade tempts its driver to pass where he cannot see.

This permits slower vehicles such as trucks, farm equipment, and recreational vehicles to move to the right lane thus allowing other traffic to pass on the grade.

At 55 MPH on a dry road, how far does a loaded truck need to stop?

At least 340 feet. Cut in front of a truck and slow down, and it may need more than a football field to stop behind you. Nebraska Driver’s Manual, p.71: “A loaded truck with good tires and properly adjusted brakes, traveling at 55 MPH on a clear, dry roadway, requires a minimum of 340 feet to come to a complete stop.”