Page 58 - Driving Commercial Vehicles Manual

driving commercial vehicles

2. Enter the cab, sound your horn and watch both mirrors as you back up
very slowly. A good practice is to sound the horn for each vehicle length
you travel.

3. Stop, exit the cab and recheck behind, above, below, to the sides and
ahead if you’re backing up a long way. A series of short backing up
manoeuvres is safer than one long one.

Seeing and being seen

While large vehicles usually offer a better view of the road ahead and to the
sides than passenger cars, they also have dangerous blind spots.
Big windshields and a high seat position give you a good view down the road
but there’s an area immediately in front of your vehicle where you can’t see
anything. The longer the hood on your vehicle, the longer the blind spot.
The higher seat position can also hide a car or pedestrian alongside of your
vehicle, particularly on the passenger side. Large side mirrors provide a clear
view of the road behind you, except for the blind spot immediately behind
every vehicle.
Check carefully for vehicles and bicycles that may be travelling in your blind
spots. Pay particular attention in slow urban areas where cyclists often share
the road.

Watch for other drivers in
any of your vehicle’s blind
spots.

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