You are following a tractor-trailer whose driver appears to be starting a left turn. What does the manual tell you to do before attempting to pass?
-
A.
Sound your horn twice and wait for the truck driver to wave you by.
-
B.
Pull far enough left to see past the truck cab before you commit.
-
C.
Slow to match the truck's speed and follow through the turn together.
-
D.
Check which way the driver is signaling before you attempt to pass. Correct
The answer is "Check which way the driver is signaling before you attempt to pass."
Before passing a tractor-trailer that appears to be starting a left turn, check which way the driver is signaling, because a truck often has to swing the opposite direction of its turn and the apparent movement alone will not tell you which way it is going. Drivers who pick choice A are falling back on the horn-tap habit from the general passing checklist, which does nothing to tell you which way this truck is actually turning.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Sound your horn twice and wait for the truck driver to wave you by.
Sounding the horn and waiting for a wave does not tell you which way the truck is turning, which is the one thing the manual tells you to confirm here. Carries the horn-tap step from the general passing routine into a scenario where the manual asks for a specific signal check on top of it.
B. Pull far enough left to see past the truck cab before you commit.
Edging left for a sight line is a general passing habit, but the manual's instruction here is to read the signal first, since a truck can swing wide the opposite way of its turn. Substitutes a sight-line rule of thumb for the signal verification the manual spells out for this exact situation.
C. Slow to match the truck's speed and follow through the turn together.
Tucking in behind the truck still does not answer which way the driver is turning, which is what the manual asks you to verify before passing. Reads the moment as a following-distance problem, when the manual frames it as a signal to check before passing.
This question tests your knowledge of Passing in North Carolina. Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, "Chapter 6, Trucks and Other Vehicles," p.91..
Related North Carolina questions
- How far to the left of the vehicle you are passing does North Carolina law require you to pass? →
- A driver behind you sounds a horn to signal a pass. What does the manual require you to do? →
- You want to pass another vehicle on a hill or curve. What does the manual say you must have first? →
- In which of the following situations does North Carolina law allow you to pass another vehicle on the right? →
- On a three-lane highway with two-way traffic, and setting aside the left-turn exception, where does the manual say you may pass? →
You just took one North Carolina question apart. The book does it for the whole test.
The North Carolina book unlocks a free companion: an adaptive study plan, progress synced across your devices, a denser laminate cheat sheet, and a test-day walkthrough. Verify your copy once, usually in seconds; there's nothing extra to buy.
Paperback, free companion included.