Ad Campaign Seeks to Increase Safe Driving Practices Around Commercial Motor Vehicles

SALT LAKE CITY — A new public awareness campaign launched today by the Salt Lake City Police Department seeks to increase safe driving practices around Commercial Motor Vehicles.

“We’ve all pulled up behind a truck that’s moving slow and swinging wide, but just because a passenger vehicle is more nimble doesn’t mean it’s the smart thing to squeeze on through,” said Chief Burbank in launching the “Trucks Need Space” safe driving initiative. “In trying to shave a few seconds off your commute, you can literally put your life in danger,” he added.

The $300,000 multi-media campaign seeks to:

• raise awareness about aggressive and distracted driving around Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV),
• reduce the number of crashes between passenger vehicles and CMVs,
• and increase accurate reporting and citations by officers of such crashes.

Television and radio ads, billboards, brochures, posters, cards, and a website emphasize the message “It’s Not a Race, Trucks Need Space.” While aggressive or distracted driving could earn drivers a $750 fine, members of the public who take the pledge at trucksneedspace.com have an opportunity to win Jazz tickets or a $100 gift card.

Formally known as the Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) grant, the three-phased project is funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The public education component is the final phase of the two-year project.

About the grant:

Sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) program is a high-visibility traffic enforcement program that uses communication, enforcement and evaluation activities to reduce CMV-related crashes, fatalities and injuries. The Salt Lake City TACT grant includes:

• TACT Readiness grant – 6/1/12 to 9/30/13 – COMPLETED
  Total federal funds – $177,655
• TACT Enforcement and Evaluation – 3/1/13 to 9/30/14
  Total federal funds – $181,600
• TACT Public Education and Information – 3/1/13 to 9/30/14
  Total federal funds – $309,996

Note: watch all three “Trucks Need Space” television commercials on the Public Service Announcements playlist of youtube.com/slcpd.

Contact: Reporters seeking comment should contact the Public Information Officer at 801.799.NEWS (6397).

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