A Wisconsin State Patrol officer monitors traffic from a school bus during the Trooper in a Truck safety initiative. (Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association via Facebook)
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Troopers from the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association recently conducted their third annual “Trooper in a Truck” safety campaign to combat inattentive drivers.
For five days in July, officers accompanied professional drivers in the larger vehicles to look for dangerous driving in Green Bay, Hudson, Madison, Waukesha and Wausau.
“Working with law enforcement gives us the opportunity to work together to make roads safer,” said Neal Leclaire, captain of the WMCA Road Team and driver for Duplainville Transport Inc., part of the Quad Graphics fleet.
He said the biggest goal is to educate people about the dangers of texting while driving and aggressive driving. “As a professional driver, I would advise you to be mindful of your driving and be patient,” Leclaire noted.
When police detect a violation, they radio patrol cars in the area to stop drivers and issue them a ticket. (Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association via Facebook)
In Trooper in a Truck, troopers sit in a semi-truck or bus and watch drivers on the road for illegal activities such as speeding, distracted driving, tailgating, and seat belt violations. When police spot a violation, they radio patrol cars in the area, which stop drivers and issue them tickets.
“As a professional driver with nearly 30 years of experience, I have observed many changes in driving behavior related to distraction and aggressive driving. With advances in technology, the problem seems to have gotten worse. That’s why I participated in the Trooper in a Truck program,” explained Leclaire, also the WMCA’s safety director. This time, he noticed “a slight decrease in observed distracted driving compared to the first year I participated.”
The Wisconsin campaign, which took place on several state highways from July 8-12 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Operation Safe Driver Week, aimed to reduce the number of crashes and injuries involving commercial vehicles.
Police officers watch the road from a truck. (Wisconsin State Patrol via Facebook)
Kim Conradt, WMCA safety programs coordinator, worked with the Wisconsin State Patrol three years ago to create this annual event, which attracted more participants from the transportation industry and generated more news coverage.
“Some of my dispatchers came to me about three years ago and said that every day when they’re up in the truck, they can see the drivers and what they’re doing down below,” Conradt told Transport Topics. “Texting, watching Netflix, putting on makeup. It’s really about distracted driving and that’s what causes a lot of accidents. So we thought, why can’t we partner with the cops and get them in the truck and help us make sure your family gets home safe, our family gets home safe, everyone is safe on the road. We don’t want to write tickets. We want to educate. There’s nothing more important than you getting home alive.”
Tim Carnahan, superintendent of the Wisconsin State Patrol, said drivers should be especially cautious around large trucks and buses. “Commercial vehicles have large blind spots, limited maneuverability and longer stopping distances. All drivers must work together to avoid accidents,” he added.
Over the past five years, Wisconsin has seen an average of 7,000 crashes per year involving large trucks. Driving inattentively is a growing safety risk in Wisconsin, says the state Department of Transportation.
Wisconsin State Patrol officers monitor traffic from the back of a school bus. (Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association via Facebook)
Gillian Taylor, senior logistics safety coordinator at Duplainville Transport, is committed to promoting the safety of all drivers.
“Professional drivers spend 11 hours a day on the road, which is unfortunately more than enough time to witness the consequences of distracted driving firsthand,” Taylor said. “In the precious moments it takes them to pick up their phone and read a message, so many lives could be changed forever. It’s not worth it, one life is not worth that.”
Another participant in the event this year was Kwik Trip, a convenience store chain founded in 1965 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Kwik Trip driver Jeremiah Wickersham, a professional driver for eight years, said: “As a Lead Trainer for Kwik Trip and Road Team Captain for the WMCA, safe driving is important to me as I see the effects of unsafe driving time and time again both when training new drivers and when driving myself.”
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