Did You Know...

• 2007 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is August 26 - September 1.
• Trucks drove 2,962,513 highway miles in 2004. (source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation)
• The average manufactured product in the United States involves five movements by truck before it reaches the final consumer. (source: Suburban Truck Driver Training School Web site)
• Elvis Presley was a truck driver before embarking on his career as the King of Rock and Roll. (source: monster.com)

Every day, thousands of truckers transport goods across the country, ensuring that gasoline, diapers, medical devices, food and other essentials are available to us at local retailers. Theirs is a challenging job made that much more difficult by roadway congestion and construction, inclement weather and the often erratic behavior of other motorists.

Truck drivers frequently operate vehicles that are very heavy and tall and do so on surface streets and highways designed largely to accommodate smaller passenger vehicles. Because of their size, trucks are difficult to maneuver agilely and stop quickly. Many motorists don't realize this when they attempt to overtake a heavy equipment vehicle, slow down or stop suddenly in front of a truck or demonstrate any number of other risky behaviors behind the wheel.

Yet, despite this, the Department of Transportation recently reported that fatalities from truck crashes fell to 4,995 in 2006, representing a 4.7 percent decrease from 2005¹.

Increased seat belt usage, stricter regulations and advances in safety technology have all aided in reducing truck crash fatalities. Still, traffic issues remain a challenge for truckers and roadway additions and improvements across the country have been negligible.

Modifying driving behavior and mitigating risk remains the most effective way to continue the trend toward fewer vehicle crashes and fatalities. Driver Risk Management solutions that help drivers become aware of the risky behavior they demonstrate behind the wheel and modify their behavior accordingly prevent accidents from happening.

2007 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is August 26 - September 1. DriveCam salutes America's truck drivers for their efforts to keep our nation moving and promote safety on our roadways. In honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, take a moment to recognize and thank the drivers in your fleet for their dedication to safety and professionalism. And, the next time you spot a truck on the highway, slow down, give the driver room to maneuver and do your own part to reduce the number of truck crash fatalities.

¹ Kilcarr, Sean. "Truck Crash Fatalities Fall Nearly 5%," Fleet Owner, July 25, 2007.