TEXAS, USA — The Texas Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to travel safely in situations that involve 18-wheelers and other large vehicles because crashes involving these trucks can lead to serious injury or death.
Specific warnings have been given to motorists who drive in cities that produce a large amount of oil and gas, like the Permian Basin. These areas are highly trafficked by large vehicles, like 18-wheelers and resulted in more than 79,000 crashes in 2021.
There are a few easy steps drivers can take to avoid collisions and injuries. First, reduce speeds and pay attention. Last year, the leading reasons for fatalities and accidents on the road were a lack of speed control and driver inattention.
TxDOT also advises to give larger trucks more space. This means being aware of the blind spots by avoiding tailgating these bigger vehicles.
Some of these same cautions also apply to those areas that are considered part of Texas' energy sectors. In addition, drivers in these regions are encouraged to follow basic traffic rules, like obeying traffic signs, eliminating distractions by avoiding texting and talking while driving, and never driving under the influence.
All of this guidance comes as part of an ongoing campaign fronted by the TxDOT called, "Be Safe. Drive Smart." This accompanies a social media hashtag, "#EndTheStreakTX."
Both slogans are used to encourage people to utilize safe driving practices to end the steak of daily deaths.
