Teaching Teens to Share the Road with Heavy Trucks
Did you know? Light-vehicle drivers are usually at fault in a crash with a heavy vehicle. 78% of near-crashes and crashes involving large trucks are initiated by the light-vehicle driver (Source).
Overview
Passenger vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. In 2010, on average seven teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries (Source). Light-vehicle driver education programs that contain content about sharing the road with heavy vehicles may be helpful in reducing future light-vehicle/heavy-vehicle interactions. However, the extent of curricula in the United States including such content is unclear. This module will review the findings of a research effort which targeted at instructors/administrators of state driver education programs to identify curricula addressing heavy vehicles and to determine perceived effectiveness.
Learning Objectives
This module will share supplemental practices (e.g., DVD and hands-on experience with a truck) that driver education professionals may use to supplement their driver education courses when teaching sharing the road with trucks. Key concepts covered in this module include:
- Key sharing the road information for driver education students.
- Guidance on how fleets in partnership with driver education teachers can convey key sharing the road information to students.