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Home / Driving Information / Sharing the Road with Others / Large Trucks, Buses, and Emergency Vehicles

To drive safely in the presence of large trucks and avoid collisions, you must be familiar with their physical capabilities and maneuvers. Large trucks take longer to stop than a car traveling at the same speed. Truck drivers often swing wide to complete a right turn, so if you're following a truck, carefully look at its turning signals and consider that the drivers of large commercial vehicles cannot see anything directly behind or beside them. Blind spot areas for truckers include directly in front, directly behind and along each side—especially on the right side of their vehicles. If you cannot see the truck drivers reflection in his or her side mirror, you are in the truck drivers blind spot and they cannot see you. It is extremely dangerous to cut off a truck in traffic or on the highway whether you are trying to reach your exit or turn or beat a truck to a single-lane construction zone.

Almost the same rules apply to buses. If you're traveling behind a bus, increase your following distance to get a better view. If you're driving behind a school bus, always prepare to stop when lights are flashing. Wait for the vehicle to move and scan before starting your drive again.

You must yield the right-of-way to a police car, fire engine, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle that uses a siren and flashing lights. Consider that different states have different laws regarding how far away you must stay from an emergency vehicle.