Why you should not follow
Keep a safe distance
Wrapping up
Why you should not follow
If you have ever driven behind a construction vehicle on the highway, you have likely noticed some sort of signage on the rear of the vehicle that said something along the lines of “Construction vehicle – Do not follow”. You are not alone if you find yourself wondering why exactly that is.
Well, there are actually a few reasons for this. The primary reason is that these vehicles are headed to construction sites. Construction sites are restricted sites which means non-construction workers are not allowed to enter them. These areas are also very dangerous due to the machinery being used as well as heavy and hazardous materials constantly being moved around. So, if you unwittingly follow a construction vehicle into a construction site, you are not only illicitly entering a restricted zone, but you are also putting yourself at great risk.
Construction vehicles also warn people not to follow them because they do not want people tailgating them or driving aggressively around them. There is a higher risk of other drivers doing this because many construction vehicles drive much slower than normal vehicles. Construction vehicles also have a very limited range of sight, so they have bigger blind spots and might not be able to see behind them very well either. If someone drives behind them, it makes it much easier for an accident to occur.
Keep a safe distance
Sometimes, when there is a high amount of traffic or you or on a road with only one lane or other lanes are closed, you will have no choice but to drive behind a construction vehicle. If this is the case, then you just need to be sure you stay aware that you can see slightly around and/or ahead of the construction vehicle so that you do not unknowingly enter a construction area. You can simply do this by keeping a safe distance. For the most part, a safe distance to drive behind a construction vehicle is considered one second for every approximate ten feet of length of the vehicle in front. If it is large and seems to be about forty feet long, that means you should have at least four seconds of distance between you and that construction vehicle.
Wrapping up
Always do whatever you can in order to avoid driving behind a construction vehicle. This does not include unsafely passing one, however. When you follow a construction vehicle, you risk entering a restricted construction area which can get you into trouble. Entering a construction area is also extremely unsafe. Driving behind a construction vehicle is also not a great idea because of the limited visibility the driver of that vehicle likely has. If you have no choice but to drive behind a construction vehicle, be sure you do so at a safe distance.
