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Large, commercial trucks roam America's highways and byway. You see them everywhere, transporting goods to stores and construction sites. But, their drivers may not be able to see you.
At the Street Survival School held at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center this spring, we set up a demonstration to show teen drivers the limitations with truck drivers' visibility and teach the young motorists how to safely maneuver around big vehicles.
During this class session, we parked one of our track-maintenance dump trucks, a 10-wheeled monster, in the parking lot, with shiny BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes arrayed around it as if on a freeway. The kids got to climb in the cab to check which cars they could see. The nearest car behind, barely visible by bobbing your head among the various mirrors, was parked about 50 feet behind the dump truck. This gave the young drivers a real feel for the visibility limitations of commercial truck drivers, and it will hopefully encourage them to think about how they position themselves in traffic.
This demonstration wasn't as hands-on as the driving exercises during the busy day, but it provided valuable lessons. Watch the video below and see for yourself. It might just make you a safer driver, as well.
Related:
Guide to distracted driving and teen safety
Video: Consumer Reports teaches teens how to control sliding car
Street Survival: Teens learn life-saving driving lessons at Consumer Reports test track
—Eric Evarts
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