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 a leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. 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.