A guide to defensive driving and incident management

[.Quality]

One of the first things that will quickly become apparent to beginners when they first start using TMP is that incidents and collisions do occur. These may seem inevitable, however by implementing the techniques and procedures given in this guide, it is possible to avoid collisions and incidents entirely.

 

This guide is also available through Google Docs using this link.

 

Defensive Driving

The whole principle of defensive driving is to drive your vehicle in such a way that accidents and incidents will not occur and that you will be able to avoid one if it happens around you. Defensive driving is an advanced skill that will take many hours to fully perfect, however the techniques and procedures are relevant to all.

 

Proper Distance

One of the leading causes of collisions in TruckersMP is people not keeping an appropriate distance from the vehicle(s) ahead. When following at a closer distance, you will have less time to react, increasing the chance of a collision or incident. It is important to remember that keeping a safe distance will enable you to react properly to the vehicle ahead. 

The following rules should be followed:

• Minimum distance of 50 metres (this can be checked by pressing TAB to bring up the in-game UI)
• In traffic jams, drive closer but still keep a distance of 5 metres, particularly if you are queuing on an incline as vehicles ahead may roll back slightly when performing a hill start. 
• Adjust your distance according to the road conditions and any other hazards. Using your route advisor, you can see the turns ahead as well as the locations of other players - increase the distance between you and the player ahead if there are sharp bends or large amounts of oncoming traffic (groups of 4 players or more).

 

Proper Speed Management

Speed is always a variable in any incident or collision. This is because at a higher speed, you have less time to react to a hazard and your vehicle will be harder to control, especially if you have a heavy load.

The following guidelines should be followed:

• Do not exceed the speed limit at any time
• The speed limit is a limit not a recommendation - it may often be appropriate to drive at speeds lower than the speed limit, for instance when approaching a junction or sharp bends.
• Do not attempt to overtake anyone unless they are doing significantly below the speed limit. This is so that you will not exceed the speed limit and become a reckless driver.

 

Vehicle Positioning

The way that you position your vehicle on the road and within your lane can play a big role in how other drivers perceive you and how they will react to you.

Many people will think that it is good practice to always drive in the centre of the lane, however this is not the case.

 

Your lane positioning is a reflection of your intentions, and therefore it is vital that you continually adapt your lane positioning in order to be a good defensive driver. In this guide, we will explain the 4 main lane positions and then explain when and where each should be used.

 

Primary Position

 

This image shows a good “primary” lane positioning. Notice how the vehicle is closer to the centre line than the fog line. You should be in this position on most single carriageways. This lane position should also be adopted when queuing in congested areas. 

 

The primary position is called such because it puts you in control of the lane. Vehicles behind should not overtake you (if they’re not being reckless), which improves the safety for all road users. Some people may think being closer to the fog line is advantageous as it is easier for vehicles to overtake, however this actually makes it more dangerous as overtaking vehicles may be overconfident and not choose a large enough gap. 

 

Oncoming vehicles will also see you more easily, when in the primary position which gives them more time to react to your presence.

 

 

 

 

Secondary Position

 

The secondary position is a more passive position and is generally only used for reacting to other road users.

 

It leaves you in a secondary role in the lane with vehicles behind subconsciously viewing you as weak, which may encourage them to overtake, potentially causing an accident.

Do not drive in the secondary position except for the reasons listed below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tertiary Position

 

The tertiary position is where the vehicle is in the hard shoulder, not moving. Note how the vehicle is at a slight angle, which makes them more visible to traffic, as well as making it easier for them to merge with the lane when rejoining the carriageway. Turn your wheels all the way to the right, so that if you are struck, your vehicle will move further into the hard shoulder, instead of out into a live lane. Make sure your parking brake is turned on, so your vehicle will stay in position if struck.

When in the tertiary position, it is vital that you have your hazard warning lights and your running lights on. Beacons (if fitted) are optional in this circumstance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Position

 

The central position is one that most vehicles will adopt when on the roads at all times, however as a good defensive driver, you will switch between this main lane positioning and the other three fluidly and without concern. The central position is a mixture between primary and secondary, exactly halfway in the lane. Vehicles behind may still overtake when in this position, however they will be less confident than if you were in the secondary position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choosing the correct lane positioning

For ease of use, the suggested circumstances for each lane positioning will be provided in a table in the google docs document. Here, on the TMP forum, it will be in list form. Please use this link if you wish to access the Google Docs version and see the table.

 

Lane Positioning Type

Primary

• You are intending to turn left or right
• You are cornering 

Notes:

• Turn on your indicator at least 50 metres before the turning and use your retarder to gradually decrease your speed when turning.

 

 

Secondary

• You are allowing another driver to overtake
• An oncoming vehicle is oversized or driving recklessly
• You are intending to pull over 

 

 

Tertiary

• You are adjusting in game settings 
• You are checking your map
• You are waiting for a colleague or friend
• You are stopping to allow (a group of) faster and/or reckless drivers to overtake

Notes:

• Hazard warning lights should be turned on to improve visibility. Use the parking brake.

 

 

Central

• The road is straight 
• The road is multilane

Notes: 

• This is generally the default road position, however remember to continually react to the road conditions and other drivers.

 

 

 

Incident Management

If you follow the guidance above, it is unlikely that you will be involved in an incident but if you are, you should follow the procedure below.

1. Turn on your hazard warning lights and attempt to move your vehicle out of the carriageway into the tertiary position
2. Assess the situation: was it your fault?, who caused the incident?, how could it have been avoided?, will the road be cleared shortly?
3. Type in chat (if applicable) - if the incident is taking a long time to clear itself or if it is after a corner, typing something along the lines of "CAUTION - CRASH AFTER CORNER" for instance might help other people avoid becoming part of the incident
4. Use the in-game reporting system (if applicable) - if someone else has caused an incident through violation of the TMP rules, it is good practice to use the in game reporting system (accessed by pressing the TAB key) and pressing report
5. Assess your vehicle - use the F7 menu to check for damage. If it is greater than 5%, your vehicle will handle noticeably differently and a good defensive driver would request a tow to service to help keep other road users safe

 

 

That's all for the moment, although I may update this guide if it proves popular. If you found it useful/helpful, please leave feedback in the comment section below, otherwise, have a nice day/evening and stay safe on the roads!


 

[tfmpillow]

Guide approved.

[Paddy.]

I would personally disagree with the concept of the Tertiary Position. Specifically, the idea that you should angle yourself to be facing onto the carriageway. Within the confines of TMP, you're in a truck which is large and visible anyway, so the idea that this will make you more visible is redundant.

 

It's also particularly dangerous if you are struck from behind, as this will more than likely result in you rolling onto the live carriageway, increasing the potential for more collisions. If you are parked parallel to the hard shoulder, this risk is reduced.

 

The rest is good though. Very well put together.

[.Quality]

14 hours ago, Paddy ?????? said:

I would personally disagree with the concept of the Tertiary Position. Specifically, the idea that you should angle yourself to be facing onto the carriageway. Within the confines of TMP, you're in a truck which is large and visible anyway, so the idea that this will make you more visible is redundant.

 

It's also particularly dangerous if you are struck from behind, as this will more than likely result in you rolling onto the live carriageway, increasing the potential for more collisions. If you are parked parallel to the hard shoulder, this risk is reduced.

 

 

Hi Paddy,

 

I appreciate your concerns, so I've updated the guide to describe how the parking brake should be on and the wheels turned fully to the right. This should fully prevent the vehicle from rolling into the carriageway.

 

Thanks for commenting and I hope I've alleviated your concerns,

Quality_Productions

 

 

 

[Interstate Nomad]

@quality_productions,

 

I thank you for taking the time to write this guide for the community.
As an advocate of safe and reasonable driving I believe this topic gets never boring and it can not be repeated often enough.

I would like to take the opportunity to add one aspect of crucial importance which often is neglected in road traffic and often leads to serious accidents: driving times and rest periods.

 

More about it (european policies ) can be found here:
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/road/social_provisions/driving_time_en

 

Also, a good rule of thumb of the safety distance is to keep

• at least half of the speed you are driving at in meters (e.g. 40 meters at 80km/h), or
• a minimum of three (3) seconds to the vehicle ahead.

 

Drive safely!
 

[Lena']

Thank you for taking the time to create a guide for the community useful information  

[n0feaR.]

Thanks for creating this guide! It's really helpful!