Final answer:
Occurs when the wind from a large vehicle impacts the stability of nearby vehicles. This is called turbulent wake and is influenced by factors such as the wind's speed, direction, and turbulence created by the movement of large objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon described in the question occurs when the wind generated by a large vehicle like a truck or bus affects the stability of nearby vehicles, which is known as turbulent wake. When large objects move, they create significant turbulence due to the high velocity and displacement of air.
This turbulent wake can impact smaller vehicles by causing them to sway or become unstable, especially when the vehicles are passing by or are in close proximity to the larger vehicle. It's closely related to principles in fluid dynamics, including the Bernoulli principle, though this principle only provides qualitatively correct results in situations with turbulent wake.
Environmental factors such as wind's speed and direction also significantly affect vehicles' motion, but this is more notable in aviation where total velocity and navigation are heavily influenced. Road vehicles are affected on a smaller scale but can still experience loss of stability due to crosswinds and turbulent wakes.