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| The Real Life A Truck Driver Leads |
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| After spending the weekend with my Love on the road, I make this page in hope that you and I, the people who drive the roads of America, will read this and understand and become more considerate and understanding. |
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| I want professional truck drivers to feel good about their profession and realize how important their job is~~please feel the same. |
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| A couple wonderful notes I wanted to share with you: |
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| That is a great site you have. I just got done reading the Trucking story. I am glad my trucker is driving local now :-) He was parked and sleeping when a car driver fell asleep and slammed into the back of his rig. |
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| I wanted to take a moment and say thanks for the website educating the public on the pitfalls of professional driving. My late husband was a driver also (car carrier also) and I was greatly moved that someone took the time to show the many areas that drivers and the public driving population have conflicts. More of this type of education needs to be done, maybe in the driver training or testing areas. XXXX died because of a fall from the top of the car carrier so my words of thanks for the education just aren't enough. Keep up the good work! |
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| I found your site through Tanya's Freebie Land. I congratulate you on your page |
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| "God Bless the U S A"(((((((((Marianna)))))))) |
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| I am very impressed with your truck safety area as well!!! My hubby is also a truck driver, and back in the 80's I also drove with him. I would hate to have to be on the roads now-a day personally :(. Hubby is pretty much local within the state of Oklahoma now, he's a grain and feed ingredient hauler!! In 1993 he fell off a grain trailer and broke his neck,((c-6&7)) but God blessed him, and healed him, after a year of work and therapy he was able to walk again, and in 1995 went back to driving!! :) |
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| Keep on telling the world to be SAFETY ORIENTED around the big rigs, they cannot stop on a dime, they need room to navigate, and the blind spots, Dear God, the blind spots. |
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| Have you contacted your local news station to ask about running safety issues on truck drivers troubles with the 4 wheelers?? |
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| I'm sorry to ramble on!!lolol I guess it's a been there-done that thing with me, and prayers for all the "18 wheeled KNIGHTS in shining armor" out there. |
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| Thank you again!! Marianna!!! |
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| God Bless you, God bless your trucker!! |
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| This is the truck my Love drives. His is blue, though. Many call this style a moving parking lot...it's a car hauler and it's dangerous. |
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| This picture also shows 'gaurd rails', but his does not have them. It is wide open, slippery, nothing but metal and chains that can snap back on him at any given time. |
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| Thats the reality of the job, many are afraid of it, but he has a job to do and he's out there doing it. I cry each time he is on the road because it's the drivers, regular automobile drivers, who do not respect this beast, and it is the drivers that I am begging to respect this job and understand that he's a man behind that wheel. |
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| A man just like the ones you have as husbands, sons, fathers, brothers and friends. |
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| He's MY LOVE, please keep him safe out there. |
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| This is just a small tribute for the man I love. I am scared each time he walks out that door and am ever so grateful when he comes home. I watched, how he had to drive those cars and trucks onto this trailer. Let me tell you...do you see how ths trailer looks now? Well, when they are loading the cars onto it, it becomes a hill with only a tires' width area to back the cars onto it. Once the car is on the rack, he has about two inches for his footing. Now, add water from rain on that, or add the slickness from the tires being sprayed with oil to look pretty, or add a gust of wind...it's not a safe job, but someone has to do it. |
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| I've watched cars fall off these ramps WITH the driver in them! My Love watched a man lose his finger from the wrench that whips back on him. It takes a lot of strength to tighten the chains that hold the cars down. My Loves' hands will swell and he can't write after one day. His hands tingle all the time. His body aches from the excertion needed to load these cars safely. |
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| What satisfaction does he get out of this? He is taking care of his loved ones. That's it...no glory, no fame, no thank yous...nothing but our love. |
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| The average truck in the United States travels an average of 64,200 miles per year, the equivalent of driving almost two and a half times around the world. The average trip for trucks is about 420 miles one way. My Love is gone five out of seven days a week -- He works more then 70 hours within those days. There is something exciting about those first few moments when he comes home. It's either the excitement of his arrival or just knowing that for two or three days, we can be an a normal family again. |
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| Before he started driving, he was a very successful businessman who passed three of the hardest tests anyone can take within the U.S. When he took this job, we thought it would be great because now he can do something he really enjoys...travelling. I took it for granted what he does, so he invited me to join him one day to live his life on the road. I have to tell you, I came back in tears and filled with such love and admiration for him, I cannot even begin to tell you. I also walked away with such anger towards drivers on the road, I decided to create this in hopes you will see what it's like out there. |
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| First off, everything you use in your day to day life has been on a truck. It didn't just appear to you one day, it travelled many miles by TRUCK and there was someone who drove that truck....not a 'truck driver', but a person...someone just like you and me. Without them, you would not have the food you eat, clothes you wear, the T.V. that you watch or this computer that you are using to search the Internet. |
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| Our very livelihood depends on them, no matter what they deliver, no matter what they haul...you would not have it or use it if it wasn't for a person driving a truck. They are our HEROES of the highway -- they are the backbone of America. Trucks transport an incredible 5.46 billion tons of freight every year in the U.S. |
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| REMEMBER: Without Trucks, America Stops. |
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| I am offering to you a few of my own feelings as well as articles and links I've been collecting to try to help you understand just the magnitude of how our driving affects EVERYONE, especially 'truck drivers'. |
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| I have been reading about complaints from both sides of the fence and to be honest, the outcome of fault comes NOT from the truckers, but from the regular car drivers. |
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| Trucks come in many sizes, but all in all, they are larger then your car which can be very intimidating. But the size is really no different then two people of two different heights. If you let the size of a truck intimidate you, you are putting yourself at risk by being too sensitive and you over accentuate situations. If you ignore the size of a truck and think you are in a better situation because you have the abitlity to manuever better...you are only half right. Sure, trucks can NOT stop on a dime, trucks can NOT swerve in and out of traffic, but what they CAN do is be affected by YOUR driving. |
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| On the open roads, a truck is able to run at full speed...it's a smooth, relaxing ride. When there is traffic, we as car drivers, need to realize that a truck is not slow to BE slow...they are slow at first because they have to go through five gears just to move up the line of traffic. By cutting that truck driver off to squeeze in front of them is the most idiotic judgement call you could make. How far did you just get? Four feet? Eight? Was it all so important for you to do this just to cut ten seconds off your time? Unless you have a loved one dying at home, DON'T do this!!! Life is too short and to have someone shorten it -- it just isn't worth it. |
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| My Love is a GREAT guy and has been a dedicated driver. In all his years of driving, he has never had a serious accident. Just recently, while going through a toll booth, a passenger van was on the side of the road and my Love was in the farthest toll booth -- where the truck belonged. He was exitting the booth, shifting his gears and the van decided to pull into the lane that this 100 foot truck was in! My Love saw this, honked his horn, tooted his blow horn, did everything to catch this drivers' attention to no avail. This man, this idiot, inconsiderate driver, decided..too bad, I'm going there anyway and he plowed his own vehicle into the side of my Loves' trailer. THIS IS WHERE I'M HAVING AN ISSUE!!! Thank goodness there was a police officer there to witness this. The driver claimed that my Love came out of nowhere...this is a blatant attempt at insurance fraud, even the police officer knew it. |
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| It's drivers like this that litterally scare truckers. Who's going to be the next idiot? Who is going to be the next to try a stunt like this? |
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| Did that driver ever once give consideration to the person driving this big rig?? |
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| Just because you are a car driver, this is not an opporutnity to put yourself and others at risk to collect insurance money!!!!! |
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| Like most drivers, my Love is very concious of the road ways and it's conditions. Most truck drivers drive in a couple years what we, car drivers, drive our entire lifetime. With this taken into consideration, truck drivers are the safest drivers on the road. |
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| You may say to yourself as a truck zips by you, "He's going too fast...that accident was his fault...oh, the trucker did it". Not true, not true. For every car accident there are statistics. The majority of accidents that have both a car and a tractor/trailer involved have been the result of CARS and the drivers in them. |
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| If you cut off a truck driver and then slam on your breaks, it takes ten times the length it takes a car to stop! If you cut him off and then get rear ended are you going to blame the truck driver?? Of course you are. Is it the truth? Is it the reality of what happened? No..and from this day forward, I pray that all drivers start realizing this. |
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| I had just read an article about a major accident where three vans were full of travelers on vacation. The last van got into an accident with a big rig -- the van rolled over and the occupants had injuries. So, what was the opinion of the person complaining about this? This 'person' said it was the 'damn truck driver driving stupid'....the reply to this message came from the witnesses, the truck driver AND the accident report. All three vans were on vacation and the last one was just following the others, not paying any mind to what was going on around them, just following. The third van cut off the truck driver and then slammed on his brakes. This did NOT leave enough space for the truck driver to stop! The driver tried everything to stop and wound up hitting it. Now, in your opinion...who was at fault? |
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| I've read articles where people complain the trucks are too slow. Have you any idea what it's like to shift 15-20 times? These are HUGE engines, not a 4, 6 or 8 cylinder like the cars have. |
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| People complain about the noise. These are HUGE vehicles...give me a break! What about the cars with cherry bomb mufflers...when was the last time you heard a harley davidson bike go through your neighborhood? It's the same thing. |
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| Please, PLEASE stop blaming truck drivers, stop driving the way you do around them, give them a break as you are the first one they would help out...PLEASE know they are human beings running that rig, and please, take care of these wonderful drivers, keep them safe, keep them in your hearts and minds. |
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| The truck my Love drives is extremely dangerous. He has witnessed body parts being ripped off other drivers working the same kinds of vehicles. You have NO CLUE what it's like to watch him drive cars to the top of the ramp and keep his balance on tiny ledges. You have NO IDEA what it's like to watch as the grease from the spray on crap people put on their tires act like ice when he's coming straight down that ramp. As a kid, I used to think these kinds of trucks were the coolest things...never once did I give consideration to that person who was putting the cars on and off the rack. |
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| I went on another trip with my Love in his truck...he picked me up around 5:30 a.m. Sunday for a trip that was suppose to bring me home around 5 p.m. Once again, I didn't get into bed until 2 a.m. Hence no updates were made nor the newsletter sent out..my apologies, but you can blame it on the drivers in New Jersey and New York! |
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| I don't want to bore you with all the horror stories, but let me tell you just one thing...CAR drivers NEED TO BE MORE CONSIDERATE!!! I want you to measure the front of your car bumper...it should measure about 48"...a truck runs 90-102"...they CANNOT squeeze into tight lanes no matter what! |
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| Also, just because you drive an SUV doesn't mean you know how to handle one!! I wish they'd make SUV drivers pass a special license to drive one...I can't tell you how many near misses and close calls these SUV drivers make..not only to trucks, but to other cars!! |
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| Here's my idiot story of the day regarding a Lexxus driver....my Love is tooling along and it started drizzling...when it does, instead of doing 60 (which, by the way, if he keeps up with traffic, he is maxing his engine out at 75mph and they STILL pass him...this is a death hazard to all!!!) anyway, he slowed to 50 and took the right lane...all of a sudden a down pour came..no thunder and lightening, just a gush of rain that came from no where....my Love always keeps three truck lengths between him and the vehicle in front of him for stopping distance when it rains...(this isn't an open ticket to pull in there!!) anyway, I'm sure you're sensing my frustration by now...when the rain came down, this woman in a Lexxus SUV went from 50/55 (she was the vehicle in front of him) and SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES!!! My Love tried to stop, honks the horn, does everything to miss her and what does she do?? She takes her sweet time to creep over to the side of the road (LITERRALLY)...here she has a HUGE truck coming behind her, and she's just taking her time as if no one else existted....thankfully, he missed her, but come on car drivers...help me out here -- pass the word that truck drivers are NOT the enemy, they are NOT a car that can stop on a dime, they cannot manuever the same and they need YOUR help to get home safely just like you want to come home safely.... |
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| I know I rambled here, but I just can't stress enough that they need your cooperation..that's the only way the roads will be safe. This weekend, I personally witnessed six major accidents .. all cars, not one truck..last weekend, my Love witnessed a truck accident. A double trailer UPS truck was cut off by a SUV and he swerved to miss the idiot and he wound up losing his life...his truck, fully loaded, both trailers, wound up flipping over, destroying the cab and a man's life...do you know how scarey that is when someone YOU love is gone because someone else, you..me..who knows... didn't want to drive behind a truck?????!!!!! Did you know that if you drive faster, if you cut off people, that you will eventually get to your destination approximately 7 seconds faster then if you didn't do this at all??? Just think about this stuff and pass on the word that truck drivers need your help, they don't need the stress and fears YOU, the car drivers, cause...please... |
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| it is a HUGE safety issue when a driver finds it necessary to talk on their cell phones. I have witnessed people driving and talking...all the while, swerving from one side of their lane to the other. I have seen cell phone users not paying attention to the tail lights of the vehicles around them only to slam on their brakes just at the last minute. I have seen these people cut off other drivers, tailgate, change lanes without using their signals and worse off, I have seen them clip a car as they passed it. |
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| When a driver sees someone driving while talking on their cell, they watch that car a little closer. Imagine if you will, a car whose driver isn't paying attention because of their cell phone cut off a driver of a truck and then slam on their brakes because they weren't paying attention. A truck CANNOT in anyway, stop on the dime like a car!!! I can't say that loud enough or clear enough. For anyone to assume they can, you are putting your own life as well as others in jeopardy. |
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| PLEASE...tell that person who just called you that you can't talk now. Unless there's a death in the family, the phone call IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT!!!! |
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| I say this as this is the agreement me and my Love have. Yes, he has a cell phone, but without it, what would he do if there were an emergency? What would 'I' do if there were an emergency? I am not being unrealistic here, but if he's driving, he'll pick up his phone and say, "Can't talk now", and hang up. If it's an emergency, I call back immediately. Sometimes, I too, need to fight the urge to call him just to hear his voice. When I was with him, I know how hard it was for him to take his concentration from the road to pick up that phone and say he couldn't talk. I will never call him for anything frivalous again. |
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| I support the use of hands-free options for using a cell phone in a vehicle, but I could not support the banning of cell phones in a vehicle as I don't think banning cell phone use is the answer. |
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| What does a driver make driving truck? |
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| The average estimates that a driver makes is 30.3 cents per mile. |
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| Average yearly income for a driver is $32,000/Year. The average owner/operator makes slightly more. That is JUST the national average. This figure does NOT include those drivers who get paid by the load (paid for the items delivered regardless of time spent doing it), like my Love. |
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| What education level do drivers have? |
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| Nearly half of owner/operators and more than half of company drivers have at least some college. Nearly 87% of owner/operators and 90% of company drivers have a high school diploma or better. This is a higher level of education than among the general population age 20 and over, in which 83% are high school graduates or more. This is why that regardless of what the person driving the truck looks like, they are very intelligent. If you want, I could find you more details on this subject and post them. |
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| Do you realize what it costs to run a truck today? Trucks run on deisel fuel, that means it hasn't had the final steps of filtering to make it good enough to work in cars. It's cheaper then a car, but you also have a 100-200 gallon size gas tank instead of what cars have-- you never walk away from the gas pump for less then $90. Here's a link to tell you the current situation of gas here in New York: |
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| Starting out can be a real shock and a blow to the budget. You start out with a very detailed physical. Then you HAVE to stock up the cab or you might as well be rich. We decided to get him a cooler, but what we settled on was a refrigerated cooler that he plugs into the lighter socket. It takes 2-4 hours to get cold, but it works the same way as a refrigerator does. I cook enough home made foods to keep him going for 3 days. That was there, if he has to work longer, he can treat himself to a night out, or if he works less days, he brings the food home and we'll just eat it here. Now, these two things has just cost almost $300, you STILL have to stock up with food, water and good for you snacks so he doesn't come home 50+ lbs more then when he left! There have been MANY new inventions that we bought as they really made life for my Love so much more 'homey' feeling. We found a microwave for him. It plugs into the lighter socket also, and has enough power to cook anything like the micro we have at home..AND it's the same size. He also took our TV/VCR combo from my office. Now I take this little portable tv that I move from room to room to watch. That's alright, I'd rather he watch movies or the tv while he tries to rest of has a lay over. We bought a power inverter system that plugs into the lighter in the sleeper area so that he can run all of these things. Video tapes, books, canned foods, paper goods, a coffee maker, and more were purchased. |
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| You would think that he wouldn't need clothes to work in...guess what...he needs to change three times a day! He gets covered in hydraulic fluid, oil, grease, gasoline...you name it..he wears it. So, the next time you see a 'dirty or filthy' driver, instead if focusing on what he looks like, focus on the hard work that person just put into his day to look that way! We'll be buying his winter clothes soon as he spends the majority of his time travelling from New York to Jersey to Pennsylvania and back. He'll need thicker blankets, an entire body suit to wear outside, two pairs of work boots and let's not forget thermals!! Socks, gloves, undies..the whole shabang. |
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| My Love takes HUGE pride in his appearance. He HATES getting so dirty and it embarrasses him when people look down at him because his shirt is covered in black dirt of what ever he got ahold of. He hates how people have thier opinion of drivers...dirty looks, oh...you're just a truck driver...and so on. When he's home, he is meticulous on his appearance. He'll shower two and three times a day, he'll make sure every hair is in place...and the best part...he looks at me the way he did the very first day we met....which, you're imagination can only play out in some detail...makes THIS woman, VERY happy!! |
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| My Love not only takes pride in himself as a man, but in his truck. Sure..technically it's not ours...BUT remember, he lives the majority of the week in it! I love cabs that have sleepers in them. If you've never seen a sleeper truck cab, let my just give you a brief description. You first will usually go through a thick curtain to get behind the seats. In the 'cab', there's a bed the size of a cot or twin bed which my Love always keep made. There are two little closets...one he hangs his clothes in and the other holds his smelly clothes *S* There are shelves, mesh baskets and storage spaces back there. Believe it or not, if need be, you really CAN make a home in the back of a cab. My Love is a very clean man and he takes pride in himself and in his truck. Trucks, as we all know, are VERY large, but you just can't imagine how big they are until you have to unpack all the stuff you've put in them!! It's like cleaning my apartment!! |
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| The following is a compilation of ideas for surviving a trucking relationship. These ideas have contributed to by members of LOADS over the years. This list has grown over the years, and will continue to do so as the membership grows and changes. |
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| NO arguments over the phone! Drivers must concentrate on their driving abilities, not the argument they just had. Sometimes, although you may feel it's unfair, we must bite our tongues. Remember that if you hang up on your driver, you probably can't call them back. This does not mean there will not be disagreements over the phone, but when there are, remember you must choose your words carefully. The phone does not allow us the luxury of a hug or wink when things start to escalate. |
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| Drivers, send cards and/or postcards home to those you love and miss. You need them to know you are thinking of them. Leave love notes around the home before you leave (even hide them to be uncovered days later), imagine how that will warm hearts. |
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| When calling home, set up a scheduled time and day; make a time range of 3-5 hours. If the call does not come in as planned, DO-NOTHING for 24 hours, anything is possible in trucking. Discuss what should and should not be discussed during these calls. Discuss what is "priority" when the dispatcher should be contacted. If times get tough, grit your teeth, get busy, call a supportive LOADS member. Do not sit by the phone and wait, drivers don't or shouldn't expect you to |
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| If there is an emergency at home, have a plan set up. Example, if you are unreachable at a hospital or something such as that, have the dispatcher give the phone number and name of a friend (previously set up) so the driver knows it's vital he/she calls. |
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| Make time to listen to one another. Hear emotions, illness, distress, frustrations, and anxiety and discuss them. If ugly information needs to be shared, go lightly. Drivers remember, we aren't whining when we talk with you, you probably are the only "adult" we've talked to in a while -- bare with us and let us unload some stress also. |
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| Try the five-minute conversation. For five minutes, one partner talks only. The following five minutes are followed by the other partner talking. Then five minutes of interactive conversation. Neither partner is allowed to interrupt the other during their five minutes. Don't use directive words such as "you do this, you make me feel this way, etc.," try using "I feel this way because." Pointing a finger at someone will only make that person retreat. No swearing or yelling is allowed! Look at yourself before you blame others. |
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| Drivers, before showing up at the door, make sure you call home first to announce your arrival. By not notifying the family, this could frighten them. This also gives the family unit time to reschedule their plans if possible, to be home with you. You must remember some plans can't be rescheduled and just like your life on the road, our lives are usually based around a schedule. |
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| Honesty is the best policy! Don't hide anything you may think will disturb the other, although some things can wait, relationships are built upon trust and communication. |
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| Get involved with those who share the same experiences you do; they'll understand your feelings. |
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| Truck stop snacks can be expensive and get old quick. When time permits, make the drivers favorite things, so they can take it out with them on their next trip. |
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| Buy inexpensive frames, place pictures of loved ones at home in them. This adds a touch of home to the rig. Don't forget to include pictures of the family pet, they are loved too. |
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| Make and put coupons in the drivers' wallet (and visa versa). State they are good for back massages, candlelight dinners, movies, etc., Remember not to promise anything you won't be able to keep. |
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| Using idea 12, use an old prescription bottle, tearing off the label and including slips of paper describing your prescription of your relationship. |
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| Drivers frequently pick up free trucking publications. Drivers, bring them home for your partner to read. Let them educate themselves of the trucking industry. Who knows, someday we won't call fuel . gas. |
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| We all have needs, but nothing should be placed aside as important as the family life. Although the driver misses the children and spouse, individual time must be spent with each other alone. Drivers and children alone. Drivers and significant others alone. |
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| Drivers remember, the loved one at home is pulling more weight than normal families do, so being tired is not an excuse. And please, don't drop a ton of laundry as you walk in the door and then expect to get "lucky." |
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| Erase the "cheating" ideas from your mind. If you wonder if your driver is being faithful, ask yourself if you want the driver to wonder if you are being faithful. Both parties feel loneliness, and diseases can be shared! Cheating is a signal that there was/is something wrong in your relationship prior to the event. |
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| Drivers returning home after being out for weeks need to have time to re-adjust to the family structure. This does not give drivers the excuse that their job is done however once they return home. Be supportive and spend time with your family, not your favorite chair and remote controller. Why not go shopping together, bowling, a movie, etc. |
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| Forget to tell the driver important things? Try a bulletin board near the phone. Write messages down for you to discuss with driver over the phone, or where he/she can look when they get home for notes. |
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| Give a little, take a little. Honesty, communication and trust are the backbones of all relationships. Don't close your minds and hearts to one another, reach out and remember why you love one another. Discuss your hopes and fears with each other. Communication should start at home and continue while the driver is on the road. |
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| On a cassette tape, tape songs that mean something to both of you; even songs that you feel describe your relationship. Put the tape in the rig with a personal note attached, surely this tape will be listened to over and over again. |
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| Be sure the person at home knows how to handle basic home maintenance. Both parties need to be able to handle all household chores and repairs. If the pilot light goes out while the driver is gone the person at home must know how to light it. At the same time, if the driver comes home to a sick "mommy" he should know how to take care of her usual daily chores such as laundry and cooking. |
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| Before the driver leaves, be sure the party at home feels secure. Explore together all "bumps in the night" so they are not a sudden fright to a woman left home alone. Make sure the homefronter feels the house is securely locked and safe for those nights alone when imaginations can run wild. |
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| Be sure BOTH parties names are on bank accounts, leases or anything else that might need signing or taking care of. Also, be sure that the homefronter has adequate transportation for taking care of normal errands and emergencies. "Get a ride with someone" is not sufficient. |
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| Driver, be sure the office knows your wife's name and any special circumstances that may require her to reach you. Homefronter, establish a positive report with dispatch and other office personnel. They can be a valuable asset when you need to reach your driver in an emergency. Make sure you have all numbers, and get to know names so you can reach someone and have an intelligent conversation with them if need be. |
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| Missed special occasions will happen from time to time. Learn to adjust to celebrate them when the driver is home, instead of by when they are on the calendar. Have a "Family Holiday" from time to time. Some trucking families have more "special occasions" than the regular calendar does. Remember that sometimes a date on the calendar will have to be just that, and the holiday itself may have to wait a day or two. If there is a time the driver absolutely needs to get home on a certain date, be sure to let the company know at least 2 weeks in advance. Put it in writing, copying everyone in the office who may need to know. Don't be afraid to tell dispatch when you need to start heading in the direction of home. |
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| Remember to take time for yourself. Always remember that you as the homefronter are a person too. Do not allow the driver's job to consume you, or to make him the center of the universe. You are entitled to respect as well. Although there may be times you must do without, do not let it get to the point where you are sitting at home waiting for him to resume your life. Maintain your own interests and hobbies. Use the time while the driver is gone to do things you enjoy that the other person may not. |
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| Above all, both parties must remember that this is a PARTNERSHIP. One person is not anymore important than the other, and one's needs should not overshadow the other. Communicate, share and respect each other, just as in any other relationship where both parties are home each night. |
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| source: http://www.loads.org/Survival%20Tips.htm |
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| Large trucks do not operate like cars. They are so large that accelerating, slowing down, or stopping takes more time and much more space than any other vehicle on the road. They have large blind spots and make wide turns. They are not as maneuverable. If they come upon an unexpected traffic situation, there may not be enough room for them to avoid a collision. |
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| Research reveals that passenger car drivers made mistakes in 70 percent of the fatal crashes involving large trucks. While everyone is entitled to make a mistake, colliding with a truck could be your last one. |
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| The information that follows will help you anticipate a truck's actions and avoid collisions with them. |
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| YOU are your best protection on the highway. |
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| The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in partnership with the trucking industry and highway safety organizations, is working to make our roads safer for everyone. Its goal is to achieve a 50 percent reduction in truck-related fatalities by 2010. Your commitment to Share the Road Safely will help us achieve this objective. |
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| Trucks are important to the United States economy. They transport products that are critical to lifeÑand those that make life a lot more comfortable. However, as a motorist, sharing the road with large trucks can make you feel very uncomfortable. |
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| Protect yourself and your passengers by learning how to share the road safely with large vehicles. |
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| 5 Ways to Share the Road Safely with Trucks. |
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| Don't Cut In Front of Trucks. |
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| Trucks leave extra room behind the vehicles they follow because it can take them twice as long to stop. |
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| If you move into that space and have to brake suddenly, you cut the truck's available stopping distance in halfÐ placing you and your passengers in danger. Anticipate the flow of traffic before pulling in front of trucks. |
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| More than 60 percent of fatal truck crashes involve impacts with the front of the truck. Trucks are not equipped with the same type of energy-absorbing bumpers as cars. When a car is hit from behind by a truck the results are too often deadly. |
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| Stay Out of the "No-Zone". |
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| Watch out for the blind spots, or the No-Zone, around large trucks and buses. |
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| Because of a truck's size, truck drivers must react faster than car drivers in emergency situations. If faced with a potential front-end collision, the truck driver may turn into your lane not knowing you are there. Truck drivers have huge blind spots around the front, back and sides of the truck. So be safe and don't hang out in the No-Zone. |
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| Large trucks are almost as wide as your lane of travel. Driving too close behind one prevents you from reacting to changing traffic conditions. |
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| If you are too close to the rear of a truck and there is a slow down on the highway, debris in the road, or an accident, you won't notice it until it is a braking emergency. If there is a problem ahead, your first hint will be the truck's brake lights. But if you happen to be distracted or fatigued, you may not be able to react in time. If you hit the rear of a truck you'll quickly learn that trucks are unforgiving. There are no impact-absorbing bumpers and the metal bumpers they do have may not align with yours. So be smart and give yourself plenty of room. |
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| Buckling your seatbelt is the single most important thing you can do to save your life in a crash. |
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| A seatbelt will keep you in your seat and help you maintain control of your vehicle. The safest place for kids is in the backseat, buckled up or in a car seat. So, be safe and always buckle up! |
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| Beware of Highway Shoulders. |
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| Nearly 2,000 people die each year in highway shoulder collisions. They are some of the worst accidents, usually caused by other drivers on the highway. |
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| If you break down or pull over on the highway shoulder, it is important to understand the position you and your passengers are in. When a parked vehicle on a highway shoulder is struck by a moving car, the damage suffered by the parked car is severe. When the moving vehicle is a truck, weighing as much as 25 cars, the result is tragic. |
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| Avoid highway shoulders whenever possible. Try to exit from the highway, even if it costs you a tire or rim. If you cannot exit, consider whether you are safer inside or away from the vehicle. Your decision could save your life. |
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| When driving on the highway you are at a serious disadvantage if involved in a crash with a larger vehicle. In crashes involving large trucks, the occupants of a car, usually the driver, sustain 78 percent of fatalities. In order to keep you and your family safe when driving around large trucks and buses, you should be extra cautious. Sharing the road with larger vehicles can be dangerous if you are not aware of their limitations. Here are a few tips to help you drive safer to prevent an accident and minimize injuries and fatalities if one does occur. |
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| CUTTING IN FRONT CAN CUT YOUR LIFE SHORT |
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| If you cut in front of another vehicle, you may create an emergency-braking situation for the vehicles around you, especially in heavy traffic. Trucks and buses take much longer to stop in comparison to cars. If you force a larger vehicle to stop quickly this could cause a serious, even fatal accident. When passing, look for the front of the truck in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front and avoid braking situations! |
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| Always buckle your seat belt. Seat belts are your best protection in case of a crash, especially if you get into an accident with a large vehicle such as a truck. Trucks require a greater stopping distance and can seriously hurt you if your car is struck from behind. However, your seat belt will keep you from striking the steering wheel or windshield, being thrown around, and from being ejected from the car. Wearing a seat belt is the single most important thing you can do to save your life, especially in a crash with a large truck. |
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| WATCH YOUR BLIND SPOTS - THE "NO-ZONES" |
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| Large trucks have blind spots, or No-Zones, around the front, back and sides of the truck. Watch out! A truck could even turn into you, because these No-Zones make it difficult for the driver to see. So, don't hang out in the No-Zones, and remember, if you can't see the truck driver in the truck's mirror, the truck driver can't see you. |
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| Inattentive drivers do not pay attention to driving or what is going on around them. They can be just as dangerous as aggressive drivers when they drive slowly in the passing lane, ignore trucks brake lights or signals, and create an emergency-braking situation. They also create dangerous situations when they attempt to do other things while driving, such as using cell phones. When you are driving, please focus only on the road. If you need to attend to another matter while driving, safely pull over in a parking lot or rest stop. |
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| Aggressive drivers can be dangerous drivers. They put themselves and others at risk with their unsafe driving. Speeding, running red lights and stop signs, pulling in front of trucks too quickly when passing, and making frequent lane changes, especially in the blind spots of trucks, can create dangerous and potentially fatal situations on the road. These situations can lead to road rage not only for the aggressive driver, but also for others sharing the road. |
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| Be careful of trucks making wide right turns. If you try to get in between the truck and the curb, you'll be caught in a "squeeze" and can suffer a serious accident. Truck drivers sometimes need to swing wide to the left in order to safely negotiate a right turn especially in urban areas. They can't see cars directly behind or beside them. Cutting in between the truck and the curb increases the possibility of a crash. So pay attention to truck signals, and give them lots of room to maneuver. |
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| The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Share the Road Safely Campaign provides an opportunity for Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers to set the example for other drivers on how to share the road safely. At the same time, it offers the truck and bus drivers the chance to improve their professional image each day they are behind the wheel. Surveys indicate that many highway users are intimidated by the mere size of a truck or bus. When you combine this perception with a highway crash and the resulting roadway congestion, the public image of the motor carrier industry takes a beating no matter who caused the crash. By driving safely to prevent traffic accidents, you can improve that image and save yourself time, money, and most importantly lives. |
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| As part of the Share the Road Safely Campaign, the No-Zone Campaign is a highway safety initiative that educates people about the blind spots around large trucks and buses. Some No-Zones are so large that a car virtually disappears from the view of the truck or bus driver. You, as a truck driver, know this; the other highway users probably don't. |
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| You've also experienced how frustrating it is to have smaller vehicles cut in front of you in heavy traffic. If they hit the brakes, you may not be able to stop, which can lead to a serious crash or fatality. You know this, but they don't. To prevent these situations, the Share the Road Safely Campaign teaches other highway users about the operating characteristics of large vehicles on the highway and their operating limitations. |
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| The FMCSA believes that the more people know about how to share the road safely, the fewer number of injuries and fatalities will be caused by crashes with large trucks or buses. Professional truck and bus drivers can best help us in this effort by being the proverbial "Knight of the Road" each day you're out there. Drive defensively, give them plenty of room, and expect the unexpected. |
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| If you are interested in educating the public about how to Share the Road Safely, talk to your company about participating in No-Zone demonstrations or placing No-Zone decals on your truck or bus. To learn more about these programs and get special tips for driving safely click on the link below. |
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| The "No-Zone" represents the danger areas around trucks and buses where crashes are more likely to occur. Some No-Zones are actual blind spots or areas around trucks and buses where your car "disappears" from the view of the drivers. These blind spots are the Side No-Zone, Rear No-Zone, and Front No-Zone areas. The right-side blind spot is doubly dangerous because trucks and buses make wide right turns! Knowing the No-Zones can save your life! |
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| Share The Road Safely Brochures |
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| The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had developed two brochures to educate professional drivers and motorists how to Share the Road Safely. These full-color, bi-fold brochures provide tips for driving safely on the highway. Click on the links below to view the brochures. If you would like to receive copies of the brochure, Professional Drivers: Please Help Us Share the Road Safely or Motorists: Please Do Your Part to be Safe contact us at [email protected]. |
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| Excuse me. Hey listen. You might not realize it, but you are about to enter the No-Zone. It's the blind spot around that truck where the driver can't see you. Crashes happen when cars stay in the No-Zone so don't stay in it. Drive smart. Don't hang out in the No-Zone. |
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| Unh unh. Better think again before cutting in front of that truck. It takes trucks twice as long to stop as cars. There's a No-Zone in front of that truck. Crashes happen when cars cut in front of trucks. So look for the whole front of the truck in your rear-view mirror and signal before pulling in and then don't slow down. Drive smart. Don't hang out in the No-Zone. |
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| Wide Right Turns.... THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM PEOPLE!!
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| Let me ask you a question. What's the easiest way to prevent over 200,000 car/truck crashes a year? Here's the deal. Trucks need lots of room to turn right. That's why they swing left first. It's not an invitation to pass. When the car does try to squeeze by it enters the Right No-Zone -- the truck driver's biggest blind spot. Crashes like this happen every three minutes. Drive smart. Don't hang out in the No-Zone. |
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| COPYRIGHT 2001© Marianna's Heart and Home--all rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, whole or any part herein, is strictly forbidden/prohibited without the written permission of Marianna's Heart and Home Owner. |
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