Why should you stay a fair distance behind when following a large vehicle?

Why that is the answer

Large vehicles have significant blind spots, especially directly behind them. Staying a good distance back ensures you remain visible in the driver's side mirrors. It also dramatically improves your own view of the road ahead, giving you more time to react to hazards. Dropping back does not help the large vehicle stop or let you corner faster, but it keeps you safe.

How this comes up in the real test

Questions from alertness appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.

The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.

More alertness questions

• Before making a U-turn, what should you do?
• Before slowing or stopping your vehicle, what is something you must do?
• How can you make sure that a satellite navigation (satnav) system doesn’t distract you when you’re driving?
• How should you pass the cyclists?
• Something is hanging from your rearview mirror. Why might this pose a risk?
• The windscreen pillar is restricting your view when waiting to emerge from a junction. What should you be especially cautious of?