Truckers Plan Safety Triple-Header for Memorial Day Drivers

Drivers to Offer Common Sense Summer Driving Tips

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 16 -- Signaling the start of the summer driving season, the American Trucking Association's national highway safety program, Share the Road, will sponsor three pre-Memorial Day safe driving events next week. First on tap, Lexington, KY on Tuesday, May 24, with Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Steve Pence participating. On Wednesday, May 25, Share the Road demos are scheduled for Cincinnati, OH and Sacramento, CA.

Share the Road, sponsored by Mack Trucks, Inc. and Chevron Delo, is the only national highway safety program that goes "on the road" to teach motorists how to drive safely around large trucks. In larger cities with heavy traffic congestion, professional truck drivers provide ride-alongs for the news media to demonstrate truck blind spots, stopping distances, and other truck-related safety issues. Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) indicate that up to 75 percent of all fatal car-truck crashes begin with an error on the part of the car driver and that 35 percent of the fatal crashes occur in a truck's blind spots.

As part of their national Memorial Day safety message, top professional truck drivers also offer their common sense advice on how to safely navigate summer traffic and congestion:

   Do a walk-around before leaving.  Check your vehicle's tires, wipers, and
   fluids.  Have your cooling system serviced.  You can prevent many of the
   problems that might strand motorists on the side of the road.

   Leave early so you won't be anxious about arriving late, and to
   accommodate delays.  Know your limitations; don't drive when tired,
   upset, or physically ill.

   When sharing the road with large trucks, be aware of their blind spots.
   If you can't see the truck driver in his or her mirrors, then the truck
   driver can't see you.

   Expect the unexpected; look 1/4 mile ahead for a safe path.  Leave
   yourself an out.

   Pull off to a designated parking area to use your cell phone.

   To change lanes, signal ahead of time so others can respond. If a truck
   is signaling to change lanes, allow it space to do so.  Often, it is
   trying to avoid another vehicle.

   Remember that trucks are heavier and take longer to a complete stop, so
   avoid cutting quickly in front of them.

   On entrance ramps, remember highway traffic has the right of way;
   maintain proper speed, use smooth merging techniques, don't slow in front
   of a truck.

   Understand that big trucks cannot always stop to assist you, but most
   will use their radios to contact the police or highway patrol if they see
   you are in trouble.

   To save fuel, take direct routes, minimize side trips, and keep a steady
   speed.  A well-tuned engine and properly inflated tires will result in
   noticeable fuel savings.