byWayne Gunn; Avery Dennison Reflective Films Division

As this newsletter suggests, there is an abundance of concerned and highly capable voices helping to showcase the many issues affecting truck safety in contemporary America. The efforts of these grass roots organizations and leaders within responsible government agencies need to be applauded by everyone who travels the roads and highways of our country. That is nearly all of us.

In addition to issues of driver fatigue and conspicuity markings, the overall condition of our roadways is a major factor that affects safety of truckers and automobile drivers alike. Building safer roads saves lives; unsafe roads cost lives. This issue too needs to be in the spotlight.

For example, raised reflective markers (usually called Life-Lites) on highways have been demonstrated to have a dramatic effect on both driver comfort and overall accident rates. Indeed, these accident reduction figures where Life-Lites are installed are dramatic. Studies conducted by the Illinois Department of Transportation showed a 60% reduction in accidents and a 40% decrease in injuries. New Jersey studies showed reductions of 31.6% and 28% in accidents, 73.9% and 59.3% in fatal accidents and 40.5% and 37.3 in injury accidents on two lane rural roads.

With such significant savings in lives and dollars Ñ why donÕt ALL roads have devices that help roads better communicate with truck and automobile drivers alike, thus, turning the roads into so-called ÒTalking Roads?Ó

If we are going to ask whether trucks are safe for our roads, fairness demands that we also ask the question of whether our roads are safe for truckers.