Heavy vehicle drivers and sharing the road

Watch out for pedestrians, approach intersections with care.

Utilise more than one lane to navigate your turn, so that you can keep your distance from the corner, and keep clear of the kerb. 

Where possible, position your vehicle in a way that discourages vehicles from passing you unsafely.

Sharing the road with bicycle riders

• Bicycle riders need space because larger vehicles passing closely can create wind turbulence that can make bicycle riders lose their balance. It also allows bicycle riders some room to swerve if they come across a parked car door opening up, or some debris or a hazard on the road.
• Be patient and keep your distance from people who ride bicycles, it is now law that you must leave at least one metre, and at least one and a half metres if you’re traveling over 60km/h. 
• For heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses, in some situations a safe distance may be more than the 1m (on roads with speeds up to and including 60km/h) or 1.5m minimum (on roads with speeds over 60km/h). Drivers may need to provide bicycle riders with more space than the minimum passing distance to give bicycle riders the room they need.
• Drivers can cross solid single lines, double lines or centre lines when overtaking people who ride bicycles, when there is a clear view ahead and it is safe to do so.

Sharing the road with motorcycle riders

• Motorcycles can accelerate quickly and are less visible, which can make it hard to judge the speed of a motorcycle or how far away it is.
• The narrow profile of a motorcycle may make them hard to see and they can get lost in a blind spot. Riders may also move around in their lane to avoid hazards so they may disappear quickly from view.
• Big trucks can generate a lot of wind when travelling on highways which may affect the stability of the motorcycle. Trucks passing motorcycles should leave extra room before moving back into their lane.
• Motorcycles often slow down by downshifting their gears or by reducing the throttle. They often don’t use of their brakes until just before they completely stop. This means that brake lights won’t be illuminated, so give motorcycles plenty of room when stopping behind them.
• Motorcyclists are legally allowed to filter between slow moving traffic, including trucks. Be on the lookout for riders who may be riding at slow speeds alongside you, especially in congested traffic.