Commercial trucks provide vital services to communities throughout Ohio, and around the country. In fact, nearly two-thirds of all American communities receive freight only by trucks, and over 75 percent of the dollar value of freight in the United States is shipped by truck.

Ohio depends heavily on the trucking industry for a strong economy.

Our state is among the safest of the most populous states in which to travel. Also, the Ohio interstate system is one of the most heavily traveled systems by commercial vehicles anywhere in the midwest. For example, each year approximately seven million trucks use the Ohio Turnpike to traverse the state.

Given these facts, it is extremely important for cars and trucks to share the roads safely as Ohio traffic volumes continue to increase.

Unfortunately, driving in the presence of a commercial truck presents certain hazards to motorists in passenger vehicles. Trucks have bigger blind spots, require additional room for maneuverability, have longer stopping distances, require longer distances needed for passing, and pose more severe consequences for passenger vehicle occupants resulting from crashes.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Partners for Safety effort exemplifies the cooperative efforts between the Patrol and business world necessary to ensure both trucks and cars coexist on our highways safely.

To that end, a new partnership with Roadway Express and other trucking companies is intended to educate the motoring public on the dangers of the No-Zone.

Roadway Express and the Patrol have partnered to create a No-Zone trailer designed to educate the public on the dangers associated with driving near large trucks. Look for the No-Zone trailer around Ohio this summer, and at the State Fair in Columbus during August.

The No-Zone is the area around trucks where cars "disappear" into blind spots, greatly increasing the possibility of a collision.

There are more than 250,000 crashes involving cars and trucks every year. In Ohio, during 1997, 2,184 crashes involving a commercial truck and passenger vehicle occurred on rural interstates.

While it seems obvious and most people realize it is more difficult to drive a truck than a car, many are not educated about the limitations of a truck in terms of maneuverability, stopping distances, and blind spots.

The good news is many crashes involving passenger cars and trucks could be avoided if motorists knew more about truck limitations and how to steer clear of unsafe situations involving trucks.

Keys to safer highways and staying out of the No-Zone include being conscious of trucks as they make wide turns, and of their rear and side blindspots. Drivers of passenger cars also need to recognize the additional distance required to pass a commercial vehicle due to the truck’s length.

Remember, most trailers are over eight feet wide and can completely hide objects that suddenly come between them and a loading area. A driver who tries to pass a truck can enter a No-Zone blindspot.

Another No-Zone is located just in front of trucks. One of the biggest mistakes motorists can make is to cut in too soon and slow down after passing a big truck.

Trucks also need a much greater distance to stop than cars because of their size and weight. Be sure to maintain a consistent speed when passing and do not pull in front of a truck unless the entire front of the truck is visible in the rear-view mirror.

Unlike automobiles, trucks have deep blind spots directly behind them. Tailgating not only makes cars impossible to see by truck drivers , but it also cuts off motorists view of traffic.

Trucks have much larger blindspots on both sides than do cars. Traveling in a truck’s blindspot for any length of time makes a car invisible to the truck driver. If the truck driver needs to make an emergency maneuver or change lanes, the result could likely lead to a crash.

Due to the size of the vehicle, truck drivers sometimes need to swing wide to manage their turns. When they do, truck drivers cannot see cars directly behind or beside them that are in the No-Zone. Consequently, give trucks plenty of room and never try to squeeze around them.

Everyone shares in the responsibility of keeping Ohio roadways safe. Do your part by safely sharing the road with trucks, and stay out of the No-Zone.