What Is A Truck's No-Zone? - Zutobi

While a car only has blind spots to each side, trucks also have blind spots close to the front (due to the height) and to the rear (due to carrying a load blocking the rear).

The blind spots of a truck are commonly referred to as ‘No Zones’ – referring to the danger of driving there. The driver won’t see you in those spots, and you shouldn’t stay in them for longer than necessary.

A general rule is that if you’re unable to see the truck driver in their side mirror, he/she won’t be able to see you either.

The Four No-Zones Around Trucks

Each truck has, at all times, 4 no-zones:

• Front no-zones – approximately 20-25 ft
• Rear no-zones – approximately 200 ft
• Side no-zones (right) – covers approximately 2 lanes
• Side no-zones (left) – covers approximately 1 lane

The right side blind spot is larger than the left due to the positioning of the driver.

The Rear No-Zone when Driving Behind Trucks

Driving closely behind trucks can be dangerous for two reasons:

• You’re most likely driving in the truck’s blind spot
• You won’t be able to see the road ahead or have time to react if the truck needs to stop

Increase the following distance when driving behind trucks – Don’t drive in the no-zone!

Beware of Trucks and Wide Turns

Trucks and buses may need to use more than one lane to turn, or turn “wide” to complete a right turn – be careful and look at the turn signals before passing.

Even if a truck is positioned in the left lane and appears to be turning left, it may just be preparing for a right-hand turn by swinging wide. This type of manoeuvre is commonly referred to as a “right turn squeeze”.

A truck may need to swerve to the left in order to safely complete a right turn

How to Pass Large Trucks and Avoid No-Zones

We all know the driving behind trucks can be frustrating and sometimes even scary depending on your skills as a driver. And what’s more, you don’t want to pull in too close in front of a truck due to the front no-zone.

Here are 3 safety tips when passing a truck:

• Make sure you have more than enough distance to pass safely before pulling out.
• Complete the maneuver quickly and avoid remaining in a truck’s blind spot for longer than necessary.
• Don’t cut in too soon after passing a truck – you should see the whole front of the vehicle before returning to your lane.

Don’t cut in too close after passing a truck!

And That’s It

It’s very important that you know how to safely share the road with trucks since there’s a lot of them on the roads and they won’t be disappearing anytime soon.