July 2007 - Motorists Urged Not to Tailgate Trucks to Save Fuel

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) and many related trucking-safety groups are urging automobile drivers to avoid the dangerous practice of tailgating heavy trucks (i.e., drafting) in efforts to increase fuel economy. ATA recently learned that drafting is being promoted by two Web sites dedicated to "hypermiling" and several recent news articles have described the hazardous fad.

"Drafting" involves driving a car very close behind a truck to use the reduction in wind resistance created by the "draft" of the truck to improve the fuel mileage (i.e., miles per gallon) of the auto. "Hypermiling" is an invented term for achieving high fuel economy by several means, including dangerous ones, such as driving partly on the right shoulder, over-inflating tires, coasting with the ignition off, and "drafting" behind tractor-trailers.

"Few driving behaviors are more dangerous on our highways than drafting," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "Drivers who practice this unsafe behavior are often out of the field of vision of the truck driver and are unable to see around the truck. 'Drafting' is unsafe, illegal, and significantly increases the chances of injury and death. This practice compromises the safety of everyone on the nation's highways and must not be considered a viable means of extending fuel mileage." ATA is working to educate the public on safe-following distances through its Share the Road safety program and is advising fleet safety directors to warn their drivers and owner-operators about the resurgence of this dangerous practice among automobile drivers.

"While drivers everywhere are feeling pinched by the high price of gasoline, safety should never come at the expense of fuel efficiency," said John Hill, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration administrator. "FMCSA works closely with States and industry to educate consumers about large truck safety, and to target passenger vehicles that drive dangerously around commercial vehicles – including extreme tailgating, called 'drafting.' 'Hypermilers,' and others who embrace such reckless tactics, must consider their safety and those with whom they share the road, especially if a truck had to brake suddenly. These highly unsafe driving behaviors must be avoided by all motorists."

Stephen Campbell, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, said, "There are far too many crashes involving cars and trucks where following too closely is identified as a contributing factor. If motorists are 'drafting' the truck driver more than likely can not see them. Enforcement officers are on the lookout for, and will take action on, these unsafe and dangerous driving behaviors by 4-wheelers around trucks."

COPYRIGHT ©2007, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

The information contained in this publication was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. ISO Services Properties, Inc., its companies and employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with either the information herein contained or the safety suggestions herein made. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable safety procedure is contained herein or that abnormal or unusual circumstances may not warrant or require further or additional procedure.