The U.S. Department of Transportation has kicked off a "No- Zone" safety awareness campaign in order to help drivers share the road more safely with commercial vehicles. The goal of the campaign is to educate and inform drivers of passenger vehicles ways in which they can avoid unsafe and potentially dangerous situations involving commercial vehicles.
         Becoming aware of the limitations and characteristics involved with driving a commercial vehicle and implementing safe driving techniques will increase highway safety and reduce the number of collisions and fatal accidents between passenger vehicles and trucks.
         It is estimated that over 200,000 crashes between cars and trucks take place each year. Statistics show the cause in over 60% of fatal accidents between cars and trucks is found to rest with the driver of the car. And four out of five times, the driver of the car is killed. Taking a few simple precautions and avoiding No-Zone areas can prevent you from being caught in a potentially dangerous situation.
         No-Zone areas refer to the blind spots on a commercial vehicle where cars disappear from the truck driver's line of vision. The blind spots, or No-Zone areas on a commercial vehicle are greatly magnified and somewhat different than those on a passenger vehicle.
         Unlike cars, trucks have a deep blind spot directly behind them. As the driver of a car, this can be one of the most dangerous areas to be in because the driver of the truck cannot see your car and your own view of the road is severely minimized. A sudden stop or reduction in the speed at which the truck is traveling could result in a serious altercation between your car and the rear-end of the truck.
         The No-Zones, or blind spots on either side of a truck are much larger than those on a regular passenger vehicle. A car could be almost directly next to the left side of the cab of the truck and be invisible to the truck driver.
         The blind spot to the right of a truck spans an area longer than the whole body of the truck. If situated in one of these No-Zone areas, to either side of the truck, the
truck driver would not be able to detect you or your car. Should the driver need to change lanes quickly for any reason, staying in either of these No-Zone areas could result in a terrible collision.
         Large trucks also have a blind spot directly in front of them. By the nature and size of the cab of a truck, it is virtually impossible to see anything directly in front of it, making this yet another No-Zone area.
         The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is supportive of the No-Zone safety initiative, having worked with commercial carriers such as Roadway Express and Yellow Freight, as well as the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) and the U. S. Department of Transportation presenting a concrete example safety breaks this summer.
         The commercial carriers provided one of their trucks at each safety break location and set up and demonstrated No-Zone areas to patrons. Patrons could actually climb up in the rig and see for themselves just how much they couldn't see from the driver's seat.
         Since the trucking industry is a frequent traveler of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, we encourage you to share the road safely with commercial vehicles. Clarence Wright, Director of Safety for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, has this to say: "We urge all of our patrons to be aware of the No-Zone areas of commercial vehicles and to practice safe driving procedures when traveling the highways."
         Some general rules to keep in mind when sharing the road with commercial vehicles can make the roads a safer place, and quite possibly, save your life. First off, be aware and stay out of No-Zone areas. As a rule of thumb, if you can't see the truck driver's face in his side view mirror, chances are he or she can't see you either. Following this rule will get you out of potentially dangerous situations that could result in a tragic accident.
         When passing a truck on the road, maintain a consistent speed and pull in front of the truck only after seeing both its headlights in your rear view mirror.
         When making right hand turns, truck drivers often swing wide to the left to safely make their turn. Be aware and on the look out for this, and make sure to give the truck driver plenty of room. Under no circumstance, should you cut in between the truck and the curb or shoulder of the road.
         Together we can make the Pennsylvania Turnpike and all highways a safer place to travel. It just takes a little thought, patience and consideration from us all.

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