[Car Tips] How to Judge Side Distance to Avoid Collisions with Buses and Trucks

🚗 Let me tell you: If you don't have enough side clearance, you'll miss and get into trouble in a split second.

When driving in Hong Kong, whether you're driving in the city, on the highway, or through narrow streets in the old district, you're bound to come across large vehicles – these mainly include:

  • 9m/12m bus (double-decker bus)
  • Medium/heavy trucks
  • Tractor (Container Truck)
  • Tour bus/long-distance coach

These vehicles are long, wide, and have numerous blind spots. Misjudging the lateral distance can easily lead to collisions, lane-crossing, and even pinch-jumping accidents . Hong Kong roads rarely have wide lanes, making the danger even greater in rainy conditions, traffic jams, cornering, or when vehicles are cutting in line.

1️⃣ What is called "lateral distance"?

Sideways distance = the horizontal space between your car and the car next to it (or other obstacles).

  • It is generally considered safe to keep a distance of about 1 meter between private cars (depending on the speed).
  • If you encounter a bus or truck , you should leave more space: 1.5 meters or more is safer.
  • If you are riding a motorcycle, it is recommended to keep a distance of about 2 meters because it is more susceptible to airflow and blind spots.

2️⃣ The reality of side distance difficulties on Hong Kong roads

  1. Narrow lanes

    • The clear width of a lane in an urban area is usually about 5 meters, and the side distance between two cars driving side by side is already limited.

  2. Larger body with wider width

    • The width of a nine-meter bus is about 2.5 meters, and that of a container truck is almost the same.

  3. Bus/Truck Driving Characteristics

    • The car turns outwards with a large radius (the rear/front of the car will sweep outwards)
    • The body of the car sways more than a private car (especially on uneven roads)
    • There is a clear blind spot, and the driver may not see you.

  4. Environmental interference

    • There are many cars and people at the traffic light, and everyone is eager to grab a spot
    • Slopes, roundabouts and large engineering areas are more crowded

3️⃣ Editor's 4 practical methods for judging side distance

① Using the “Landmark Method”

  • Use the center line of the road, the white lines on the side of the road, and the position of pothole covers on the road to compare the distance between yourself and the car next to you.
  • For example, if you see that the bus in front of you is about a white line wide away from the center line, you should not drive too close to that line.

② Cone vision method

  • When there are large vehicles nearby, you should use the expanded "safety cone" as a measure.
  • If you feel that the car body opposite you is already "filling up half of the frame", you should move slightly away from the center line.

③ Tire alignment distance reference

  • Motorcycle/private car drivers can pay attention to the rear wheel position of the large vehicle in front and keep a distance of about one and a half tire widths (visually about one and a half meters).

④ Pay close attention to the side mirror

  • The left and right side mirrors should clearly show a gap between the ground and the vehicle . Don't wait until you see only a "wall" in the mirror.
  • When encountering a bus or truck, try to keep the proportions of the other vehicle in the mirror thinner, and the closer you get, the greater the distance you should keep.

4️⃣ Driving strategy: Good habits to avoid collisions

🚦When following a car

  • Avoid driving next to large vehicles for long periods of time, especially in blind spots (low areas to the left and right of the truck's cab).
  • If you must run in parallel, try to do it as quickly as possible and leave as quickly as possible.

🛣 When overtaking

  • Observe the other vehicle's lane position in advance and make sure they are not drifting before accelerating past.
  • When overtaking, keep a longer side distance than when overtaking a narrow car, and do not force the line too hard.

🔄When turning

  • When turning, large vehicles swing out more than their inner wheels. You should avoid the channel's turning path and avoid turning close to the channel.

🌧When it rains

  • The water spray and mud from large vehicles will reduce your vision, so you should keep a greater distance to allow time to react.

5️⃣ Editor's Tip: Warning Signs of Insufficient Side Distance

  • The other car's body in the side mirror almost fills the entire screen
  • You have crossed the white line on the road or have crossed the line
  • Feeling of "pressure" or hearing a loud airflow sound from the other person
  • When turning, you have to be very careful to avoid scratching.

If you encounter the above situation, you should immediately adjust your parking space , or slow down and let the other party go first.

6️⃣ Why are you particularly afraid of buses and trucks?

  • The vehicle has high inertia and weight : the damage in the collision is almost entirely caused by the smaller vehicle.
  • Many blind spots : The driver may not be able to see you
  • Crosswind + uneven road surface : causes large vehicles to sway left and right
  • Hong Kong's multi-storey buses have a high centre of gravity : the body tilts when turning sharply to grab a better position

7️⃣ Editor’s Summary

"If you don't stick to it, it will be slow. If you stick to it, it may stop lowering forever."

Hong Kong roads are crowded, but sideways distance is a priority. Being able to proactively judge and maintain distance is the first step to avoiding ten accidents.

Back to blog

See more...

View all
1 3
View all