High School News

Submitted by Robert Hopwood, Editor, Delano Herald Journal.
Professional truck drivers visited Delano High School on Friday to teach students how to safely share the road with large trucks. The

Minnesota Trucking Associa‐ tion and the American Trucking As‐ sociations brought their “Share the Road” program to the school as part of a four-stop metro-area tour that in‐ cluded Apple Valley, Eastview, and Coon Rapids high schools. Led by professional truck drivers known as ATA Road Team Captains, the interactive safety experience gave high school students the rare opportunity to climb into a full-size tractor-trailer and see what truck drivers see — and can’t see — from behind the wheel, Minnesota Trucking Association President John Hausladen said in an email. Parked cars surrounding a 70-footlong rig outside the high school illustrated the critical blind spots that are invisible to a truck driver. Hausladen said the message to students was simple but lifesaving: Don’t hang out in blind spots. Don’t tailgate. Don’t cut off a truck. Ben Atkinson, a city driver for ABF Freight System and one of the program presenters, explained to stu‐ dents the locations of the truck’s ma‐ jor blind spots — or “areas of con‐ cern,” as he called them — where other vehicles may not be visible to the driver. They include: • The entire passenger side of the truck, extending three lanes wide for the full length of the vehicle; • The area just off the driver’s side, near the driver’s shoulder; • A zone within 10 feet directly in front of the truck; and • The area behind the truck, reaching as far back as 15 to 20 car lengths. “We want you to be 20 car lengths back,” he said. “It’s a blind spot for us also. We have no idea you’re back there.” Students learned that if they can’t see the truck’s mirrors, the driver can’t see them. “What we’re teaching is the blind spots around the truck where the truck driver can see them, where we cannot see them,” said Dave Hedicker, a professional driver for ABF Freight System. “The amount of time it takes to stop the truck, and generally, sort of what to do and how to share the road with big trucks safely.” Hedicker said students were able to sit in the driver’s seat and get a feel for what truck drivers can and cannot see when they’re in a truck. “There’s blind spots around the vehicle — all vehicles have got blind spots. Cars have blind spots. They just tend to be a little bit larger because the trucks are larger vehicles,” he said. The program also emphasized the time it takes for a fully loaded truck to come to a complete stop. “This truck here, fully loaded, weighs 80,000 pounds. It’ll take two football fields to come to a complete stop,” Atkinson said. “If he’s on the brakes right now, it’s a football field and two end zones.” Driver distractions, including the use of cellphones, were also discussed. “If you’re using a cell phone and sending a message for six seconds, it takes your eyes off the road for 4.5 seconds,” Atkinson said. “So I challenge, you know, would you want to close your eyes and go down the road, the length of a football field?” The experience left an impression on Delano freshman Trevor Jirik. “I think it’s kind of interesting how the blind spots are so minimal, and it’s definitely going to change the way I drive,” he said. “Know where the blind spots are on the semi and try to evade the blind spots and try to drive as safely as possible.” Delano freshman Axel Kestner also said it was a good learning experience. He said sitting in the truck’s driver’s seat helped him see the blind spots and better understand where drivers can and can’t see. Atkinson said the “Share the Road” team travels nationwide, teaching safety to people of all ages. The event was supported locally by Otto Transfer of Delano. Atkinson praised the truck industry’s role in everyday life. “There is nothing without trucking,” he said.