Baltimore, Maryland— Aggressive driving is never a good idea, and it’s even worse around large commercial trucks. In the last five years, 299 people lost their lives and 12,951 people were injured on Maryland roads in crashes involving a large commercial truck or cross-country bus. Speeding, following too closely, weaving in and out of lanes, running stop signs and stop lights, and improper passing are all to blame.
But, what counts as “following too closely” when you’re behind a large commercial truck? Car drivers may not always understand the challenges of driving a tractor trailer, which has large blind spots and requires much more stopping distance than the average passenger car. UPS and Maryland state agencies team up to provide a powerful visual and advice for keeping cool behind the wheel.
WHEN:
Wednesday, July 17, 10:30 a.m.
WHERE:
M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore’s football stadium), Parking Lots G&H
WHAT:
LIVE STOPPING DISTANCE DEMO: A UPS truck driver will release a paint ball when he starts braking to illustrate stopping distance needs of large trucks.
STATIC DISPLAY:
Static display with UPS tractor trailer with flags and cones showing the large blind spots that exist along the sides and rear of these vehicles. A blind spot located behind a tractor trailer extends much longer than drivers might think. Many motorists don’t realize that big trucks have blind spots and erroneously assume that, by being higher up, the truck driver must be able to see them.
WHO:
Speakers and interview subjects include:
Bill Bronrott, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Deputy Administrator
Cedric Ward, SHA Office of Traffic and Safety Director
Tom Gianni, Maryland State Highway Office Chief
Captain N.W. Dofflemyer, Maryland State Police’s
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division Commander
Louis Campion, Maryland Motor Truck Association President
Mark Brien, UPS Health and Safety Director
UPS drivers
Driving Directions to Lots G &H:
• From Downtown Baltimore: Take Light Street south and turn right onto Ostend Street. Turn right on Sharp Street. Parking lot is on your left.
• From the North: I-95 South to Key Highway exit 55 immediately after the tunnel. At the end of the ramp, proceed straight ahead onto McCommas Street. Turn right at Hanover Street. Left turn at Ostend Street. Turn right on Sharp Street. Parking lot is on your left.
• From the South: I-95 North to Hanover Street exit 54. At bottom of ramp, proceed south on Hanover Street (stay in the right lane). Make a right onto the access road just before the Cromwell Street light. At the Cromwell Street light, make a left onto northbound Hanover Street. Left turn at Ostend Street. Turn right on Sharp Street. Parking lot is on your left.
About the Smooth Operator Program
Founded in 1997, Smooth Operator is a public safety campaign that targets aggressive drivers in the District of Columbia and Maryland. The program started with 18 law enforcement agencies and has grown to involve more than 50 agencies. Smooth Operator uses the following 4 “E’s” to tackle aggressive driving: enforcement, education, evaluation and engineering. The 2012 Smooth Operator campaign was successful in raising awareness of aggressive driving behavior: pre- and post-campaign public opinion surveys of area drivers showed that the recognition of the Smooth Operator message increased from 55 percent to 65 percent. For more information, visit
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