This lag time can make it harder for a truck driver to stop in time to avoid a collision with a vehicle that doesn’t give it enough space. The air brakes in semi-trucks, take a little more time to apply pressure. When you step on the brakes in the car, the hydraulic systems react instantly. Brakes on a large commercial truck don’t work like those ones in passenger vehicles. A fully loaded commercial truck, on the other hand, going at the same speed will take nearly twice that length (around 525 feet) to stop.īut it’s more than just weight that affects how well a truck can stop in winter.īrake lag is also something drivers need to consider. That’s a bit longer that the length of a football field. In normal weather, a 4,000-pound vehicle travelling at 65 mph can take up to 316 feet to stop. That much weight can be difficult to control and will cause serious damage in a collision, and when the weather turns bad, it only makes handling even more of a challenge. Safe to say: trucks are going to handle a little differently. We all have to share the same road, though, so it’s important to understand what sudden weather changes mean for truckers, and what you can do as a motorist to keep everyone safe.Ī commercial vehicle with a full load can easily weigh as much as 80,000 pounds – compared to most passenger vehicles that range somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds. Poor weather can make driving difficult for a regular passenger vehicle, but commercial trucks have it even harder. This can be a little frustrating for other motorists on the road, which may lead to impulsive and dangerous decisions around these trucks. When the weather starts getting rough, commercial truck drivers have to slow down and take some extra precautions. Sharing the Road with Trucks When the Weather Gets Rough
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