DOVER, Del. — The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is teaming up with state and local police agencies to conduct a new high visibility enforcement focused on the traffic safety of motorists around commercial motor vehicles.
There will be two enforcement periods this year — the first running from April 28 to May 11 and the second from June 15 to June 29.
OHS received its first grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to help run two enforcement periods and to spread awareness and education on social media for motorists when driving around commercial motor vehicles, according to a news release.
In 2023, more than half of the fatal crashes involving commercial motor vehicles recorded that the operator of the commercial motor vehicle was not cited, OHS officials said.
“Driving around vehicles that are much larger than your own can be intimidating. Being aware of the differences between regular vehicles and commercial motor vehicles can help us all make informed decisions out on the road,” said Sharon Bryson, OHS director. “It’s not just the responsibility of the driver of the commercial motor vehicle, it is everyone’s responsibility to use our roadways safely. We all have to share the road, and we all have the same goal, to Arrive Alive.”
OHS offers these tips to keep in mind when traveling around commercial motor vehicles:
- Leave a following distance of at least 200 feet.
- If you can’t see their side mirrors, they can’t see you.
- Don’t hang out in “no zones.” Try to steadily pass and avoid staying in their blind spots for too long.
- Make sure you can see the whole truck in your rearview mirror before changing lanes.
- Allow enough space for the vehicle to make a turn. Larger vehicles need a larger space to make a turn. Don’t get caught under a truck.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
