May 14, 2018
Badge on Board educates motorists safely driving around semi-trucks and buses
The Badge on Board program educates motorists on how to safely and legally drive around semi-trucks and buses.
Fifty-six percent of deadly crashes between semi-trucks and cars involve one or more unsafe driving behaviors by the driver of the passenger car, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Their analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows speeding is the most common contributing factor and is involved in nearly one in three deadly crashes.
Unsafe driving behavior near semi-trucks and buses include, but are not limited to:
- Unsafe lane changes;
- Failure to signal lane changes;
- Failure to yield the right of way;
- Following too closely;
- Speeding;
- Failure to use Due Care;
- Aggressive driving (a combination of two or more behaviors).
Passenger vehicle safe driving reminders include, but are not limited to:
- When passing a truck, make sure you can fully see both trucks headlights in your mirror before changing lanes and maintain your speed.
- A truck simply does not drive like a car. It can take over 500 ft. for a fully loaded truck going 65 mph to come to a complete stop.
- The truck driver has blind spots--or areas he can't see--in front of the cab, on both sides of the rig and the rear of the trailer.
- If you find yourself driving behind a truck and can see the truck's side mirrors on both sides, you are at a safe distance behind it. If you can't see the mirrors, then you are too close.
Passenger vehicle drivers cause or contribute to 81 percent of the roadway fatalities involving semi- trucks. Truck driver’s cause or contribute to 26 percent of the fatalities.
Currently supporting the Badge on Board program is an advertising and social media campaign that is educating drivers of passenger vehicles with the message: ‘Big Rigs Need Big Room, Pass Safely.’
Link to creative elements of the campaign
About Badge on Board
The goal of the Badge on Board program is to educate car and truck drivers about safe driving behaviors and how to share the road safely and legally. Badge on Board is part of the continued effort to lower violations, crashes, injuries and keep Nevada’s highways safe.