Within this scene of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Duel’, we see the use of many continuity edits. For one example, the 180 degree rule is followed the entire time to ensure that the main subjects (car and truck) are always seen being visibly pushed towards the left of the screen. This technique makes the action far easier to understand, rather than breaking the rule and risking the audience feeling as though the cars are moving in random directions. It even helps immerse you in the scene as you can imagine yourself slowly being pushed into a corner, rather than feeling danger coming from all sides.
At 0:36 in the scene, we get a motivated POV shot. This technique is effective at putting the viewer within the shoes of the character, especially for a tense situation like this scene. For this one in particular, it’s done to show the protagonist slamming the breaks, which is an effective and relatable perspective for most viewers. It’s far more effective than showing such high-stakes action in flat, disconnected shots.
As for another technique, throughout the scene we even additionally get plenty of shot-reverse-shots, such as when the camera reflects back and forth between the train/railroad and the car/protagonist. This technique establishes their positions for the incoming near-fatal incident, as well as contrasts the mighty train with the small passenger car. It’s just one additional way of upping the stakes of the action by visually representing the difference in size/power between our protagonist and this obstacle.