What is the term used to describe a commercial vehicle's tendency to swing wide on turns?

What is the term used to describe a commercial vehicle's tendency to swing wide on turns?

• A. Off-tracking
• B. Wide-rounding
• C. Sidewinding
• D. Turning radius

Answer: (A)

The correct term for a commercial vehicle's tendency to swing wide on turns is off-tracking. This phenomenon occurs because the rear wheels of a vehicle follow a different path than the front wheels when making a turn, often resulting in the back end of the vehicle moving outwards. This is particularly significant for longer vehicles, such as trucks and trailers, where the distance between the front and rear axles can amplify the effect. Understanding off-tracking is crucial for drivers to navigate turns safely and avoid collisions or damage to property, as it helps them anticipate the space needed for their vehicle while turning. The other terms do not accurately describe this particular behavior of vehicles when turning. Wide-rounding is not a recognized term in trucking, sidewinding refers to lateral movement often caused by external forces like wind, and turning radius simply refers to the minimum circular turn a vehicle can make, not the behavior of the rear wheels during a turn.

The correct term for a commercial vehicle's tendency to swing wide on turns is off-tracking. This phenomenon occurs because the rear wheels of a vehicle follow a different path than the front wheels when making a turn, often resulting in the back end of the vehicle moving outwards. This is particularly significant for longer vehicles, such as trucks and trailers, where the distance between the front and rear axles can amplify the effect. Understanding off-tracking is crucial for drivers to navigate turns safely and avoid collisions or damage to property, as it helps them anticipate the space needed for their vehicle while turning.

The other terms do not accurately describe this particular behavior of vehicles when turning. Wide-rounding is not a recognized term in trucking, sidewinding refers to lateral movement often caused by external forces like wind, and turning radius simply refers to the minimum circular turn a vehicle can make, not the behavior of the rear wheels during a turn.