SAFETY

The Ohio Turnpike remains one of the safest roads in the nation, with an accident rate less than half the national average.

No-Zone

The Ohio Turnpike Commission strongly supports public education, especially when dealing with travel safety. In an effort to increase public awareness, the Ohio Turnpike Commission is joining forces with the Ohio State Highway Patrol to further educate the public about safely sharing the road with big trucks. In the past we have worked with Roadway Express, Inc. to provide No-Zone demonstrations to show motorists how they can make themselves more visible to professional truck operators. We plan to continue this effort throughout the coming year and to conduct several No-Zone safety demonstrations on our toll road at various service plazas. Our goal parallels that of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) - to increase awareness of the No-Zones -- danger areas like blind spots, around commercial vehicles, in which cars "disappear" from the view of the truck or bus driver. Since No-Zones are areas where crashes are more likely to occur, we too hope that educating drivers about the No-Zone may reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage from these kinds of crashes.

The Ohio Turnpike Commission supports the efforts of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Share the Road Safely campaign.

The Share the Road Safely Program was established to reduce highway fatalities by 50% in the next 10 years. We are looking forward to working together with professional drivers to help make this campaign a success. There are many ways you can participate in the Share the Road Safely Program. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Ohio Turnpike Commission wants to make the roadways safe for everyone.

(The following information was obtained from the FMCSA's Share the Road Safety brochure.)

PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS:
PLEASE HELP US ...Share the Road Safely

As a professional driver, you may have millions of miles of safe driving experience. Often you may think you are sharing the road with 4-wheel vehicle drivers who seem to have no driving experience at all. In too many cases, you may be right! Many commercial motor vehicle crashes occur due to errors in judgment by passenger car drivers operating around large trucks and buses. Unfortunately, when these crashes occur they reflect poorly on the motor carrier industry regardless of who caused the collision. We need to improve this situation together.

In January 2000 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was created to improve commercial vehicle safety on the highways. Our charge is to cut the number of deaths resulting from commercial motor vehicle crashes in half by 2010.

Since more than half of these fatal crashes are considered the fault of other vehicles, FMCSA has initiated a major effort to educate drivers regarding the operating characteristics of large trucks and buses. This partnership effort is called "Sharing the Road Safely."

In addition to this educational initiative, FMCSA is working with State and local agencies to enforce traffic laws against drivers who create hazardous situations around large trucks and buses, and is promoting the use of advanced technologies to reduce commercial motor vehicle crashes.

While the FMCSA believes these efforts will help to improve the current situation, we know that we can't do it alone. We need your help in improving safety on the highway. Everyday you deal with the stress of heavy traffic, poor drivers, and long hours behind the wheel. You are the industry's emissary on the highway, and you have the opportunity to be the traditional "Knight of the Road."

Consider these safety practices when you're out on the road.

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Get plenty of rest before driving. Eat well and stay fit. Driver fatigue and lack of attention can significantly increase your risk of a crash. Hours of service violations are serious and can threaten your livelihood or even your life. Stay healthy and well rested, or don't drive!

ALWAYS MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE
It can save your life. Inspect your vehicle before each trip, and check your brakes regularly. Brake defects are the most frequently cited out-of-service inspection violation. Learn how to inspect your brakes, identify safety defects, and get them repaired before risking your life, and others, on the highway.

BE AWARE OF YOUR "NO-ZONE"
Other drivers may not be aware of the size of your blind spots. One-third of all crashes between large trucks and cars take place in the No-Zone areas around a truck. Adjust your mirrors and be vigilant in watching out for other vehicles.

PLEASE SLOW DOWN IN WORK ZONES
Watch out for highway construction. Stay alert. Almost one-third of work zone fatal crashes involved large trucks. Most of these crashes occurred during the day. Take your time going through work zones, give yourself plenty of room, and expect the unexpected.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
Always leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you. In rear-end collisions, regardless of the situation, if you hit someone from behind, you are considered "at fault." Large trucks, given their mass, have much greater stopping distances than 4-wheelers. Take advantage of your driving height, and anticipate hard braking situations.

PLEASE FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT
Buckle up for safety and vehicle control. If you are in a crash, a seat belt will save your life and that of others. It will keep you in your seat and allow for you to maintain control of your truck. Increasing seat belt use is still the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce injures on our roadways.

ALWAYS DRIVE DEFENSIVELY
Avoid aggressive drivers and maintain a safe speed. Two-thirds of all traffic fatalities may be caused by aggressive driving behaviors. Keep your distance and maintain a safe speed. The only thing excessive speed increases is your chance for a crash.

ALWAYS WORK TO IMPROVE HIGHWAY SAFETY
On the highway, and through safety promotional events, be the professional! Help stranded motorists. Notify traffic safety agencies of crashes, unsafe drivers, unsafe roadway conditions, and other situations that can lead to crashes. Join a "Highway Watch" program, if available in your State.