PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In conjunction with a statewide Occupant Protection Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (OP-STEP) initiated in 1996, officials from Vermont's State Highway Safety Office (SHSO) conducted a series of motorist surveys on traffic safety issues associated with large trucks. Survey results indicated a problem with oversize and insecure truck loads, a low rate of safety belt use among truck drivers (44.4 percent) and cars operating unsafely around trucks. Many drivers were unaware of proper truck passing techniques and were not familiar with the No-Zone--that area directly around a truck where visibility is poor and crashes are more likely to occur. To address these concerns the Highway Safety Office integrated a Truck Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) component into its existing OP-STEP.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The primary objectives of Vermont's Truck STEP are to:

• Increase the rate of safety belt use by commercial vehicle drivers
• Decrease other traffic safety violations such as unsafe speed, oversize and unsafe loads and illegal passing
• Educate drivers of passenger vehicles about safely operating them around large trucks
• Reduce the number of car/truck collisions statewide

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The SHSO reviewed data from SAFETYNET, a computerized nationwide databank maintained by the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program for tracking commercial driver enforcement activities, to identify certain corridors statewide with a high incidence of truck crashes. Based on this data, 18 sites statewide were targeted for Truck STEP enforcement and education activities. The campaign was conducted during October and November of 1996. Specific activities associated with the Truck STEP campaign included:

• Development of a special inspection form for use by law enforcement officers stopping trucks during the enforcement period
• Training 125 police officers to conduct special low level inspections of all commercial trucks pulled over for cause during the enforcement campaign. These inspections consisted of cursory examinations of truck equipment, cargo and drivers' log books. The training allowed police officers to conduct inspections without the involvement of Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) commercial vehicle inspectors, who were very limited in number
• Distribution of truck-specific public information materials to drivers at motor vehicle enforcement stops. This included information on the No-Zone surrounding trucks, safe passing techniques and car/truck highway etiquette
• Educating truckers on highway safety through vehicle and cargo inspections, reminders to use seat belts and special citation holders containing safety information