Free independent reference. Original examples, not official exam questions or a driving assessment. Follow current provincial rules, signs and authorized directions.
Sharing the road →Understand what the truck driver may not see
Large side mirrors do not provide a complete view around the vehicle. Following very close can hide your car and also block your own view of the road ahead. SGI uses the truck’s mirrors as a practical visibility cue.
Do not treat that cue as an assurance that the driver has noticed you. A visible mirror cannot prove where the driver is looking. Keep out of a prolonged blind-spot position rather than relying on an assumed eye contact.
Source: SGI — Sharing the road: large trucks ↗Leave stopping room when returning after a pass
SGI advises waiting until the entire truck cab is visible in your rear-view mirror before pulling in ahead. Cutting across its front can leave the driver too little room to respond.
The mirror cue is part of a safe passing decision, not permission to exceed a limit or pass without sufficient road ahead. Plan for the truck’s changing speed on hills and do not force it to brake to accommodate your return.
Source: SGI — Sharing the road: large trucks ↗Apply the distinction in three original cases
Original learning cases
You have overtaken a truck but can see only part of its cab in the mirror. Do not interpret your car’s front bumper being ahead as enough room for a safe return.
A truck positions for a tight right turn, leaving visible space beside the curb. That space is part of a changing turning path, not an invitation to squeeze through.
You follow close enough that the truck fills the windshield. You have reduced both your forward view and the chance of being visible behind the truck.
Do not enter the inside of a wide right turn
A long truck or bus needs additional room at a sharp corner. SGI warns drivers on its right to stay well back so they are not trapped against the curb as the turn develops.
Review the entire vehicle path rather than only the cab’s first movement. Waiting behind the turning vehicle preserves an escape space; moving into an opening beside it can remove that option before the trailer reaches you.
Source: SGI — Sharing the road: large trucks ↗