Published
A truck needs room to turn, room to stop and enough space for its driver to see other road users. Those needs are easy to underestimate from a car.
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator's Don't Muck With A Truck campaign gives young drivers practical reminders for sharing the road with heavy vehicles. The three situations below are useful to discuss during driving lessons that build traffic awareness and supervised practice.
Original NHVR campaign artwork.
1. Hang back from a turning truck
A long vehicle may need more than one lane to make a turn. A gap beside it can disappear as the trailer follows the turn. Watch its indicators and keep clear rather than trying to squeeze between the truck and the kerb.
Give the driver room to complete the manoeuvre. If you are following and intend to turn the same way, wait behind instead of moving alongside. The NHVR explains why vehicles displaying a Do Not Overtake Turning Vehicle sign need extra room in its We All Need Space guide.
Watch the campaign's turning-truck video.
This figure comes from the campaign's 2021 survey. It is historical campaign context, not a current survey result.
Do not treat the space beside a turning truck as an available gap.
2. Leave the stopping space in front
When you merge or change lanes ahead of a truck, leave a generous gap. Moving into the space immediately in front of it takes away the driver's room to slow down. The NHVR campaign advises leaving three to four times as much space as you would for a car when pulling in ahead of a truck.
That comparison is a reminder to leave room, not a formula for deciding a minimum safe gap. Avoid pulling in and braking sharply. Plan lane changes early so you do not create an urgent decision for the driver behind.
Watch the campaign's stopping-distance video.
3. Be patient when overtaking
Wait for a legal opportunity with a clear view and enough distance. An overtaking lane can provide a more suitable place, but the speed limit still applies. Avoid lingering in a truck's blind spots.
Before moving back in, the campaign advises checking that you can see the truck's headlights in your rear-view mirror. Keep looking and allow enough room; this visual check does not replace judgement about speed, distance and conditions.
Watch the campaign's overtaking video.