Sharing the road with an HGV

Sharing the road with an HGV

Driving in front of, or even behind, an HGV can be a bit daunting.  But there’s no need to panic if you follow the Institute of Advanced Motorists’ top driving behaviour tips to keep you at ease on the road.

• When you’re driving on the motorway, you’ll notice a lot of foreign HGV number plates.  Bear in mind that the driver will be sitting on the left-hand side rather than the right, so you may be difficult to see and he may also be acclimatising to his lane position.  Take extra care when passing and allow more space if you can.
• We’ve all heard the saying “if you can see their mirrors, then they can see you”, but an HGV can have up to five mirrors and the driver is limited to looking at one at a time so may not see you.  Hold back and you will eventually be visible in their mirrors.
• Identify when there is a likelihood of the HGV changing lanes, such as a slip road coming up which will be joining traffic and may force a lane change, or if there is an HGV in lane two and they likely to change back into lane one.  Be accommodating by hanging back and allowing them to pull into the lane they are looking to move into.
• We’ve all experienced heavy spray from an HGV in front of us from time to time, but you can control this by extending the distance between yourself and the lorry.  The Highway Code suggests four seconds in the rain but, if needed, make it more.  Not only will it prevent your wipers working overtime, it will also improve your vision beyond the HGV.
• An articulated lorry will track sideways on a right-hand bend on the motorway and a roundabout, so avoid being beside it.  A good rule of thumb is to be safely in front or safely behind, but never beside an HGV when entering a roundabout.
• If you see a queue of traffic in front of you and have an HGV behind you, introduce your brake lights early to pre-warn the driver behind and slow down gradually.  This will let the HGV driver extend their braking distance and stop in plenty of time.  On a motorway or dual carriageway, hazard lights can be used to show drivers behind you of any issues further in front (Highway Code Rule 116).
• Despite being legally limited to 60mph, an HGV can only go a maximum of 56mph on the motorway.  So if you see an HGV in the right-hand lane, give them a helping hand by slowing down and letting them into the left lane.  Facilitate the pass if you can.

“As any HGV driver will tell you, they sometimes need a bit of extra space to move down the road,” Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s Head of Riding & Driving Standards said.  “Visibility can be restricted, and no amount of mirrors will allow all of the blind spots to be monitored all of the time.  By applying some simple rules and sharing the road space, we can make life easier for all of us.  On a roundabout for example they will need more than one lane so let them have it, a few seconds delay will be worth it if you prevent an accident.”