Category Archives: Safety Issues

Teens Learn About Safe Driving Around Trucks

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As the sky clears, the sun shines, and the heat rises we know that summer is finally here. With the increase in heat, we also see an increase of teens on the road and along with them, an increase of crashes. According to FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) Administrator Anne Ferro, the number of fatal crash rates among teens almost doubles during the summer.

In fact, the number of teens killed in an accident rises to an average of 16 during the summer months, compared to an average of 9 during the other months. Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Executive Director Steve Keppler stated that more than a quarter of the people killed in crashes involving large trucks and buses are between 16 and 25 years old.

One reason of this statistic could be the fact that many high school driver education programs don’t provide their students with training on safe driving around trucks. In an effort to prevent these numbers from rising, the CVSA has put together a truck education program for teenage drivers. The program will educate teens on the differences between the maneuvering abilities of a commercial truck and cars and how to safely drive alongside trucks.

The program teaches students about the “No-Zone” where a truck driver’s blind spots are. The students were provided with a demonstration by Maryland State Police First Sgt. Robert Mondor to better understand the dangers of driving in the “No-Zone” and were encouraged to share the road. The program cautioned the students to be careful and alert while driving, informing them that being over confident meant being unsafe.

After the demonstration, students lined up to sign a safe driving petition that covered safe driving around trucks as well as not texting or talking on the phone while driving. “Life is all about decisions, choices and consequences,” Ferro told them. “And every trip you take in a vehicle matters and requires sound judgment and your full attention. In a split second your life could be negatively impacted forever.”

This is great that teens are learning about this type of driving. Truck drivers across the country can appreciate the CVSA.

http://truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=73887&news_category_id=12

Tips for Safety on The Road

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Women, just like men, need to use common sense when thinking about safety on the road and driving alone.  Women, however, have more to worry about.  It isn’t biased to say that women do not have the strength that men do.  We have to be careful.  With this stated, trucking is a great career for women and we should never be steered away from what we love. Not even because we are not as strong as our counterpart.  We just need to be realistic and be smart in driving across the country.

I found a great list of “do’s” for precaution from an article on jobmonkey.com.  Check it out!

  • “Stay away from remote rest areas, especially at night
  • Keep the doors of your rig locked at all times
  • Never advertise that you’re traveling alone, even on the radio
  • Stay off back roads or short cuts
  • Try parking close to the main door of any truck stops you’re at
  • ALWAYS carry a cell phone with you”

Another great idea found is to put a flannel shirt on the backrest of the passenger seat, making the thought that you have a big husky (and mean looking) passenger with you.  I thought that was a very creative idea.  Keep your head up and be aware of your surroundings is another wonderful thought.

Trucking is a wonderful lifestyle for people who love to travel and see the country.  Just be careful so that you don’t need to have anything bad happen to you.

http://www.jobmonkey.com/truckdriving/women-in-trucking.html

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=65490461&blogId=416202996

The DOT Focuses on Distracted Driving

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Remember the post on the dangers of texting?  In an effort to highlight the dangers of distracted driving (namely texting) the DOT has planned a summit in late September to discuss the best ways to combat distracted driving.  Those participating include academics, politicians, safety advocates, law enforcement, and transportation officials, including key members of the ATA.   This comes on the heels of the bill that was recently introduced in Congress designed to reduce texting while driving: the Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting (ALERT) by Drivers Act of 2009.
The ATA has stated that its officials will work at the summit to ensure the bill does not limit or outlaw the use of cab management systems which provide essential cargo-related information for professional drivers.

Are Mexican Trucks as Safe as Ones in the U.S.?

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Apparently so.  In the midst of the continuing dispute whether or not to allow Mexican trucks to operate on U.S. roadways, the Department of Transportation has released a report that states Mexican trucks are just as safe as U.S. ones.  In fact, Mexican truck drivers have better safety records than U.S. drivers; during more than 220,000 inspections throughout 2008, just 1.2% of Mexican truckers were violating a regulation and subsequently placed out of service, compared to a much higher percentage of U.S. drivers – nearly 7%.  Both proponents and opponents of the cross-border trucking program say the report has helped resolve and alleviate issues regarding the safety of Mexican trucks.

Click here to learn more about the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Mexican trucking dispute.

Trucking in the Middle East

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If you think trucking is a tough business here, imagine what it’s like in the Middle East.  I recently came across an interesting article published by NPR about trucking in Afghanistan, detailing the dangers of the business that is proving to be quite profitable.

Many trucking companies in the Middle East have contracts with the U.S. Military to transport goods.  They transport everything from construction equipment to food to air conditioning units and everything in between.  But it comes at a risk – the trucks are often targeted by the Taliban.  The drivers (who are often of Middle Eastern descent) may be stopped, robbed, and even killed.  Some trucking companies have started adding armed escorts though it doesn’t always keep the drivers safe.

As difficult and discouraging as the recent recession has been, this article should serve as a reminder of how fortunate we are to live in a free country where we can pursue the career we want without the fear or dangers experienced by drivers in the Middle East.