Page 47 - AMS Driver Training Manual Version 2 2024

A V O N M A T E R I A L S U P P L I E S L T D ( A M S L T D ) D R I V E R T R A I N I N G M A N U A L V E R S I O N 2

Stopping Distances
Despite having many more tyres in contact with the road, the additional weight of an HGV
means that stopping distances (including reaction time) can be 50% further than a car in
similar conditions. On a dry road, a car will stop from 55mph in around 80 metres, but a
lorry could take around 120 metres.

If the lorry is travelling at 60mph, the stopping distance extends to around 132 metres. It’s
only 12 metres more, but at the 120m mark, the lorry is still travelling at almost 30mph.
This is the equivalent amount of kinetic energy as a passenger car travelling at over
150mph.

The lorry that was doing 60mph is still travelling at 30mph when the first lorry has stopped
If the conditions are not perfect , the driver is tired or distracted or the visibility is poor,
overall stopping distances will be even longer which could lead to a serious road traffic
incident.

All Vehicles Reversing Safely

Drivers
You must: -
• NEVER reverse from a side road into a main road.
• ALWAYS check that there are no pedestrians -
particularly children - or obstructions behind your
vehicle.
• NEVER rely on your mirrors alone.
• NEVER reverse further than is absolutely necessary.
• Whenever possible arrange for an attendant to guide your manoeuvres.
• NEVER solely rely on your reversing camera to view the banksman, if you can’t
see them in your mirrors then STOP
• When working in cul-de-sacs where it is not possible to turn around at the bottom,
the agreed practice is to reverse safely to the bottom of the road and then drive
back out.

The code of signals to be used can be found here Hand Signals (Reversing Assistant)

Take signals from your guide only but react to an emergency signal to stop from
anyone.

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