Oregon Police Ride in Trucks to Nab Unsafe Drivers

Oregon state and local police began cracking down this week on unsafe automobile drivers who drive near trucks, with police riding in big rigs to looking for drivers who speed, tailgate or don’t leave trucks enough room to maneuver, Portland, Ore., television station KGW reported on its Web site.

Oregon Department of Transportation officials said the move was part of the Ticket Aggressive Cars and Trucks, or TACT program, the station reported.

Officials said that in the past 10 years, 75% of those killed in crashes with semis have been car drivers, KGW said. Those drivers were 15 times more likely to be killed than truckers.

Beginning next week, drivers will see newspaper ads, highway signs and brochures with TACT messages, the station said.

ODOT said drivers should make sure to leave enough room for trucks — about one car length for every 10 mph of speed, KGW reported.