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Road Safety

Sharing the road with trucks, buses, trams and riders

In the test. These questions put you beside something bigger or more fragile than your car, such as a turning truck, a tram or a nervous horse, and ask where to position yourself or when it is safe to go.

Quick answer

How do you know if a truck driver can see you?

Look for the truck's mirrors. A truck driver relies on them, so if you cannot see its mirrors, the driver almost certainly cannot see you. Trucks have large blind spots beside and behind them, which is why you should not sit level with the rear wheels or close behind. Pass through quickly, or drop back until the mirrors come into view.

The short version

  • No mirrors in view means the truck driver cannot see you
  • Stay back while a long vehicle swings wide to turn
  • Never block a tram, and let light rail clear an intersection first
  • Take a second look for motorbikes before turning or pulling out
  • Give horses, stock and cyclists slow, wide and patient passes

Blind spots and following trucks

A truck driver sits high up and depends on mirrors, which leaves large areas they simply cannot see.

  • Can't see its mirrors? Then the driver can't see you.
  • Don't linger level with a truck's rear wheels or tuck in close behind it.
  • A loaded truck needs far more room to stop, so never cut in just ahead of one.
  • After overtaking, move back in only once the truck's whole front shows in your inside mirror.
  • Stopped behind a truck on a hill, leave a gap in case it rolls back as it moves off.

Wide turns, long passes and wind

Length changes how a vehicle turns and how long it takes to get past.

  • Long vehicles swing wide to turn and may need more than one lane, sometimes moving right before a left turn.
  • Hold back and let them finish, because the space beside them will close.
  • Where a DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE sign is fitted, stay off the side the vehicle is turning to.
  • A B-double or road train takes much longer to pass, so wait for a long clear stretch of road.
  • Expect a gust as a big vehicle goes by, and grip the wheel to stay in your lane.
  • Buses showing a give way to buses sign may pull out from a stop ahead of you in built-up areas.

A truck that signals left and then drifts right is setting up its turn, not inviting you through on the left.

Trams and light rail

A tram runs on fixed rails and is very heavy, so it cannot steer around you and needs a long way to stop.

  • Keep clear of trams and never block one, so do not creep forward onto the tracks in a queue.
  • Sharing a lane with light rail and a tram comes up behind? Move out of its path as soon as safe.
  • Even on a green light, wait until light rail has fully cleared the intersection before you go.
  • Near a light rail stop, slow down and give way to people walking to and from the tram.
Waiting on green while light rail crossesTPeople crossing the road to a tram at its stop

Motorbikes

A motorbike is narrow and easy to lose behind another vehicle.

  • Look twice before you turn across traffic or pull out at a give way sign.
  • Only fully licensed riders may filter between stopped or slow vehicles, at no more than 30 km/h. L and P riders may not.
  • When a rider filters past, hold your position and check your mirrors.
  • Leave a longer gap behind a motorbike, because it can stop in a much shorter distance than your car.

Cyclists, horses and stock

These road users have no protection around them, and animals can react without warning.

  • Cyclists have no body around them, so even a minor crash can injure them badly.
  • Riders are harder to pick out, especially at dusk and in poor light.
  • Tailgating, horns or flashing lights behind you never make an unsafe pass safe. Wait for a safe gap.
  • Pass a horse slowly and widely, with no horn and no revving.
  • When stock is on the move along a road, slow to a crawl and stop if that is what it takes.
Stock crossing warning sign3 kmStock on the road warning sign with distance

Try this

Worked examples to think through

Picture the situation, decide what you would do, then open the answer.

1Try this

A long truck ahead signals left and edges towards the right of its lane before the corner, opening up space on its left. Do you take it?

Show the answer

No, stay behind. The truck is swinging wide to get round the corner and that space will close as it turns. Overtaking on the side a long vehicle is turning to is not allowed (rule 143).

2Try this

You pull up at a red light on a steep hill behind a truck. How close should you stop?

Show the answer

Far enough back that its mirrors are in view. The driver can then see you, and you have room if the truck rolls back as it pulls away.

Practise it

Three trucks, buses, trams and riders questions to try

Real questions from the 33 in the NSW Learner bank for this topic, three options each like the test. Pick one to see the answer, the reason and the rule.

Question 1 of 3 Road Safety

Your light is green, but a light rail vehicle is still crossing the intersection. What should you do?

Right.Not quite. The answer is C.

Never enter an intersection while light rail is crossing it; wait until it has completely cleared.

Source: Safe driving practice

Question 2 of 3 Road Safety

3 km

You see this sign on a country road. What should you be ready to do?

Right.Not quite. The answer is B.

This sign warns that livestock may be crossing or moved along the road, so be ready to slow right down and stop.

Source: Safe driving practice

Question 3 of 3 Road Safety

A rider on P plates filters between your stopped car and the next lane. Is this allowed?

Right.Not quite. The answer is A.

Lane filtering is only for riders on a full licence, so learner and P plate riders must not filter.

Source: Road Rules 2014 (NSW) rule 151A

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Drill trucks, buses, trams and riders until it is automatic

In NSW Learner this topic has its own lesson and a drill of 33 questions. Questions you miss come back sooner, the lane on the tile fills as you get them right, and the mock exam mixes it in with everything else in the test's layout.

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Common questions

Can motorbikes lane filter in NSW?
Yes, but only riders on a full licence, at up to 30 km/h between stopped or slow vehicles. Riders on L or P plates have to stay in line.
When is it safe to pull back in after overtaking a truck?
Once you can see the whole front of the truck in your inside mirror. That leaves the long gap it needs to stop behind you.
Why stop well back from a truck on a hill?
It may roll back as it moves off, and stopping where you can see its mirrors lets the driver know you are there.

Keep going

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