Texas Takes Unsafe Trucks off the Roads

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has taken more than 66,000 unsafe trucks off the roads in "Operation Texas Thunder."

At the start of the year, DPS officials began inspecting trucks and other commercial vehicles, and since then have inspected more than 331,000 trucks on Texas roads. In addition to the unsafe trucks removed from commission, more than 12,000 commercial Texas drivers were taken off the roads for safety violations.

DPS Director Steven McCraw noted at a recent Public Safety Commission meeting that "Commercial vehicles are responsible for approximately 15 percent of the fatalities in Texas crashes."

"Most commercial vehicle operators obey the law; however, those who choose to drive unsafe commercial vehicles or drive a commercial vehicle unsafely pose a serious threat to the motoring public," says McCraw.

Overall, McCraw thinks that many accidents have been prevented and lives saved thanks to the operation.

Avoid a Texas Truck Wreck
Thousands of trucks travel Texas roads each day. And with even more trucks coming in from Mexico under the NAFTA pilot program, drivers should be aware of what to do when driving near these large vehicles.

Safety Tips:

• Maintain a safe distance between you and the truck - a rule of thumb is to allow at least two seconds between the truck and your car.
• Watch for trucks making right turns - because trucks must make wide right turns, never squeeze between the curb and the truck.
• Know the truck driver's blind spots - these include 20 feet in front of the tractor, the sides of the truck, and 200 feet behind the truck.
• Don't cross behind a truck that is reversing.
• After you have passed a truck, wait until you can see the truck's headlights in your rearview mirror before moving over.

Following these tips might just save your life and help you avoid a dangerous Texas truck accident.