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No matter how frustrated you get in traffic, don’t cut off a semi-truck. Truckers do their best to stop in time, but that’s not always enough. Truckers are responsible for controlling massive loads that prolong stopping time. Betting on a semi-truck to stop in time is a gamble. 

How long does it take a semi-truck to stop? 

On average, it takes a semi-truck about five to six seconds or about 525 to come to a complete stop. This is if the truck driver is traveling at 65 mph and the conditions are good. 

So, for a semi-truck to stop, it must travel about the length of one and a half football fields. If the semi-truck is on a steep incline or it’s raining then things could take even longer. 

It takes about 40% for truckers to stop compared to the average civilian vehicle, which takes about 316 feet to come to a complete stop. 

It can be easy to forget or dismiss how much weight trucks carry. However, the loads are so heavy that truckers pay an annual Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT). Buses, tractor-trailers, and other large commercial vehicles that weigh 55,000 lbs or more are subject to this tax. 

A Semi-truck on the road at dusk
Semi-truck | iStock

Tractor trailers weigh about 80,000 lbs when fully loaded. Plus, the way that the load is distributed in the trailer can impact its stopping distance. Unevenly distributed freight may make it harder to brake. 

Other conditions that make it harder for a semi-truck to stop include tire and brake conditions and the driver’s reaction times. If conditions are foggy or dark, a truck driver may not see other vehicles in time. 

Truckers are instructed to stay about 20 feet behind other vehicles at traffic lights, railroad crossings, and stop signs. This is why when traffic comes to a crawl on the interstate, truckers have a lot of space in front of them. 

Also, truckers can’t see vehicles if they are less than 20 feet in front of the cab. You could be in front of a semi-truck with no idea that the driver can’t see you. 

If you can see the truck driver’s face in their side mirrors, then they can see you. Otherwise, they may not know you’re beside them or behind them. 

The takeaway here is to give semi-trucks some space and to avoid cutting them off because they can’t stop as easily as you think.

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Staff Writer

Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.