Truck Safety
America’s commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers—truckers to most of us—are responsible for driving thousands of miles each year to deliver everything from watermelons to automobiles. These men and women deliver a vital service via one of the most dangerous jobs one can hold, yet still buckle up at a lower rate than car drivers. With the national average at 83%*, truckers hover around a 72%** use rate. There is good news—truckers have been buckling up in progressively higher numbers over the last several years—but the need for improvement is clear in order to save lives, reduce serious injuries, and heighten road safety.
This year’s 2009 Be Ready Be Buckled project with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration set out to increase safety belt compliance amongst CMV drivers through law enforcement and public awareness. Drive Smart blitzed the I-95 corridor with outreach and education for three weeks in conjunction with the national Click It Or Ticket campaign. Surveys were done pre, mid, and post project to determine how often truckers were clicking their belts. Results to be announced soon! See the 2008 results here.
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 2008 National Occupant Protection Use Survey.
**Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 2008 Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Survey
