JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Highway Patrol is cracking down on drivers who aggressively cut in front of or around large trucks.
For the next two weeks, the FHP wants the drivers to exercise patience behind the wheel.
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From now until March 9, motorists can expect to see troopers specifically going after aggressive drivers who are putting lives in danger.
“Some people don’t consider their habits as aggressive driving. That’s just the way they drive. They think it’s perfectly normal and OK," News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said. “Sometimes, people become very impatient, especially against truckers who are driving slower. They’ll come out, dart in front of the truck and cut back in front of the truck.”
Sudden movement by a smaller vehicle can cause a tractor-trailer to take evasive action, which could put other motorists in danger.
“It seems like people don’t know that trucks need space to brake when they’re driving and they’re just zipping in and zipping out to get absolutely nowhere," said Marie Clair, a Canadian tourist passing through Jacksonville on Interstate 95.
To combat this behavior, state troopers are targeting drivers who are following too close to trucks, speeding or unsafely changing lanes around big rigs.
Smith said such practices can be dangerous in stop-and-go traffic because it takes a tractor-trailer a lot longer to stop than a car or SUV. Big rigs also have greater blind spots that make it difficult for drivers to see and react.
“So if you’re moving in and out of traffic around trucks when you really shouldn’t be, sometimes in stop-and-go traffic that can be a danger, especially if a truck has to move over into the next lane," Smith said.
Troopers will also be looking for distracted drivers.