Minimizing distracted driving is one way to be safer on the road. In honor of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a team from the American Trucking Association (ATA) recently invited people in Missouri to participate in a ride-a-long with tractor-trailer truckers in the ATA’s “Share the Road” vehicle. The event offered a trucker’s perspective on the impact of blind spots and distracted driving on driver awareness and ability of people to drive safely.
In an effort to share three safety lessons, truck driver members of ATA’s America’s Road Team (ART) from Con-Way Trucking shared a wealth of information, including the concept that it can take a fully loaded tractor-trailer 100 yards or more to come to a complete stop when traveling highway speeds. That’s the full length of a football field.
Following Distance
Allowing truckers to keep a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of them can help to prevent accidents. Some drivers of commercial and passenger vehicles pull in front of tractor-trailers leaving a comfortable safety cushion, stealing that space and reducing the available stopping distance for the trucker. While it helps the motorist to move forward in highway traffic, it increases the chances of a serious crash should a vehicle up ahead stop suddenly.
Passing Lane Safety
Members of the ART also reminded people that a safe passing distance is necessary. Motorists should leave as much room as possible for the truck beside them to stop suddenly when they are pulling in front of the vehicle during a routine lane change. Signaling before pulling in front of a tractor-trailer can minimize the surprise factor, especially in heavy traffic conditions.
Blind Spot Awareness
The third point that ATA drivers emphasized in the Distracted Driving Awareness event was the existence and seriousness of blind spots. Tractor-trailer drivers are unable to see anything behind them that isn’t visible in their side-view or rear-view mirrors. Most truckers don’t have a rear window or a rear-view mirror, which means that they must rely on side-view mirrors to reflect oncoming traffic around them. The safety catch phrase for truck drivers is that “If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you.” In other words, anyone traveling in the space beside or behind a truck’s mirror view is in a blind spot and presents a safety hazard.
The ATA sends ART to events throughout the country in honor of safety awareness campaigns in an effort to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes on the country’s roadways. A national problem, distracted driving by others is a good reason to practice defensive driving in Texas, Missouri and every other state.
