New Shell Booklet Offers Tips on How to Share the Road With
19 April 2000
New Shell Booklet Offers Tips on How to Share the Road With Trucks, Cars And MotorcyclesAs Highways Become More Congested, the Need for Smarter, Safer Driving Increases HOUSTON, April 18 Feeling a little crowded on the road these days? You're not alone. Today, there are more than 205 million vehicles on America's highways -- up almost 20 million from 1993. And while the number of miles of road increased just one percent between 1987 and 1997, the number of miles driven rose 35 percent during that same period. Given those figures, safely sharing the road is more than just a good idea; it is imperative. That's why Shell Oil Company is now offering motorists a new, free book, called "Sharing the Road," which contains tips on how to drive safer and smarter on the nation's increasingly congested highways. Part of the national Count On Shell road safety campaign, these tips range from knowing how to avoid being "invisible" to truck drivers to dressing for safety when riding a motorcycle. "In the past, Count on Shell has provided information designed to help drivers deal with specific issues such as breakdowns and child safety in the car," said Susan Borches, vice president of Corporate Affairs, Shell Oil Company. "But this campaign takes a bigger-picture approach by increasing everyone's awareness of all the vehicles around them, and explaining the safest ways to share the road." "Of course, the bottom line is the same as that for all the Count On Shell programs: To save lives by helping people avoid accidents." "Safety is a top priority for our motor carriers and their professional truck drivers," said Walter B. McCormick, Jr., ATA President and CEO. "We enjoyed being a part of the Shell campaign to help educate motorists to safely share the road with trucks." Although the booklet discusses a wide variety of vehicles -- including buses, farm machinery and motorcycles -- much of it revolves around helping motorists better understand how to drive safely when there are trucks on the road. One key tip has to do with making sure you're not "invisible" to truck drivers by driving in their blind spots. A good rule of thumb is that if you can't see the truck driver's face in the side mirrors, the truck driver can't see you. And never pass a truck (or a bus) on the right. Their blind spots - - already larger than a car's -- are even bigger on that side. Other related suggestions include: -- Don't tailgate. Trucks typically can't see anything less than 30 feet behind the trailer. Stay 100 to 250 feet back or follow the four- second rule. If you pass the same fixed point as a truck before reaching the count of four, you're following too closely. -- Never cut in front of trucks. Keep four to five car lengths between you and the truck. Loaded trucks can weigh 80,000 lbs and require the length of a football field to stop. -- Don't linger beside a truck. -- When passing a truck, change lanes only when you can see both of the truck's headlights in your rearview mirror. Among the additional tips offered in the "Sharing the Road" booklet are: -- If you are on a motorcycle, do all you can to make sure drivers see you. That means staying out of blind spots of other vehicles and wearing bright clothes during the day and reflective material at night. Always use your headlights. -- Always wear a helmet and eye protection. -- Never race a train to a crossing. -- Don't cross railroad tracks even if the train on them is stopped near the crossing. It is illegal and dangerous. Many crossings have multiple tracks, and a parked train could hide another train that is about to cross. -- Don't try to guess a train's speed and distance. Its size and weight, combined with other factors, create an optical illusion that makes such judgments impossible. "Sharing The Road," and the supporting advertising, was created in cooperation with the American Trucking Associations, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, Operation Lifesaver and the American Motorcyclist Association. Shell will distribute nearly 7.5 million booklets free at Shell gasoline stations in 39 states. The booklet is available in English and Spanish, and copies can also be downloaded from the Shell Oil Company website (http://www.countonshell.com). Also available in this public education series are "Driving Dangers," "Kids In The Car," "Crash Course," "Alone Behind The Wheel" and "Breakdown." These booklets offer life-saving tips on how to handle dangerous driving situations, how to keep young passengers safe, what to do when an accident happens, how to keep safe while driving alone and what to do if an unexpected car breakdown occurs.