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New Shell Booklet Offers Tips on How to Share the Road With

19 April 2000

New Shell Booklet Offers Tips on How to Share the Road With Trucks, Cars And Motorcycles

    As Highways Become More Congested, the Need for Smarter, Safer Driving
                                  Increases

    HOUSTON, April 18 Feeling a little crowded on the road
these days?  You're not alone.
    Today, there are more than 205 million vehicles on America's highways --
up almost 20 million from 1993.  And while the number of miles of road
increased just one percent between 1987 and 1997, the number of miles driven
rose 35 percent during that same period.
    Given those figures, safely sharing the road is more than just a good
idea; it is imperative.
    That's why Shell Oil Company is now offering motorists a new, free book,
called "Sharing the Road," which contains tips on how to drive safer and
smarter on the nation's increasingly congested highways.  Part of the national
Count On Shell road safety campaign, these tips range from knowing how to
avoid being "invisible" to truck drivers to dressing for safety when riding a
motorcycle.
    "In the past, Count on Shell has provided information designed to help
drivers deal with specific issues such as breakdowns and child safety in the
car," said Susan Borches, vice president of Corporate Affairs, Shell Oil
Company.  "But this campaign takes a bigger-picture approach by increasing
everyone's awareness of all the vehicles around them, and explaining the
safest ways to share the road."
    "Of course, the bottom line is the same as that for all the Count On Shell
programs: To save lives by helping people avoid accidents."
    "Safety is a top priority for our motor carriers and their professional
truck drivers," said Walter B. McCormick, Jr., ATA President and CEO.  "We
enjoyed being a part of the Shell campaign to help educate motorists to safely
share the road with trucks."
    Although the booklet discusses a wide variety of vehicles -- including
buses, farm machinery and motorcycles -- much of it revolves around helping
motorists better understand how to drive safely when there are trucks on the
road.
    One key tip has to do with making sure you're not "invisible" to truck
drivers by driving in their blind spots.  A good rule of thumb is that if you
can't see the truck driver's face in the side mirrors, the truck driver can't
see you.  And never pass a truck (or a bus) on the right.  Their blind spots -
- already larger than a car's -- are even bigger on that side.

    Other related suggestions include:

    --  Don't tailgate.  Trucks typically can't see anything less than 30 feet
        behind the trailer.  Stay 100 to 250 feet back or follow the four-
        second rule.  If you pass the same fixed point as a truck before
        reaching the count of four, you're following too closely.

    --  Never cut in front of trucks.  Keep four to five car lengths between
        you and the truck.  Loaded trucks can weigh 80,000 lbs and require the
        length of a football field to stop.

    --  Don't linger beside a truck.

    --  When passing a truck, change lanes only when you can see both of the
        truck's headlights in your rearview mirror.

    Among the additional tips offered in the "Sharing the Road" booklet are:

    --  If you are on a motorcycle, do all you can to make sure drivers see
        you.  That means staying out of blind spots of other vehicles and
        wearing bright clothes during the day and reflective material at
        night.  Always use your headlights.

    --  Always wear a helmet and eye protection.

    --  Never race a train to a crossing.

    --  Don't cross railroad tracks even if the train on them is stopped near
        the crossing.  It is illegal and dangerous.  Many crossings have
        multiple tracks, and a parked train could hide another train that is
        about to cross.

    --  Don't try to guess a train's speed and distance.  Its size and weight,
        combined with other factors, create an optical illusion that makes
        such judgments impossible.

    "Sharing The Road," and the supporting advertising, was created in
cooperation with the American Trucking Associations, the Federal Highway
Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, Operation Lifesaver and
the American Motorcyclist Association.  Shell will distribute nearly
7.5 million booklets free at Shell gasoline stations in 39 states.  The
booklet is available in English and Spanish, and copies can also be downloaded
from the Shell Oil Company website (http://www.countonshell.com).
    Also available in this public education series are "Driving Dangers,"
"Kids In The Car," "Crash Course," "Alone Behind The Wheel" and "Breakdown."
These booklets offer life-saving tips on how to handle dangerous driving
situations, how to keep young passengers safe, what to do when an accident
happens, how to keep safe while driving alone and what to do if an unexpected
car breakdown occurs.