The Alabama Department of Transportation is joining the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to raise awareness and share actionable information on improving road safety by supporting Our Roads, Our Safety® Week. The annual safety observance is taking place May 5-11, 2024, and is dedicated to educating all road users on sharing the road safely with large trucks and buses.
Fatal crashes involving large trucks and buses continue to rise, with nearly 6,000 commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) involved in fatal crashes in 2021 in the United States. Alabama had 148 truck involved crashes in 2021. Most road users don’t realize that these large vehicles have huge blind spots, take much longer to stop, and make wide turns.
Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you drive, ride, or walk, understanding the operational challenges large trucks and buses face can help keep you and other road users safe on our roads.
FMCSA’s Our Roads, Our Safety® Week Toolkit includes shareable materials (such as social posts, posters, and talking points) that can help spread life-saving road safety messages across various mediums.
Tips for driving around large trucks and buses
Here are some tips to help drivers of passenger vehicles stay safe when driving around large trucks.
- Avoid Blind Spots
- Be Aware of Long Stopping Distances
- Anticipate Wide Turns
- Stay Back
- Merge and Pass Safely
Commercial motor vehicles are a critical part of our nation’s economy, transporting millions of dollars in goods and thousands of people across the country each day. The CMV industry contributes to our lives and livelihood, and it’s important we work together to protect these professional drivers as well as all road users operating around them. Throughout the year, the Our Roads, Our Safety® campaign encourages road users to share the road safely with large trucks and buses and acts as a road safety resource hub for all.
