Kentucky State Police are beefing up interstate patrols through Thursday as part of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Operation SafeDRIVE. In this case, DRIVE stands for Distracted Reckless Impaired Visibility Enforcement. Jason Morris, a sergeant with KSP’s Commercial Enforcement Division, said the campaign is aimed at all motorists, not just those driving 18-wheelers.
“We're trying to get everyone just to be aware of their surroundings, put the phones down and be as safe as possible, because we want you to make your destination safely.”
The national campaign is designed to crack down on aggressive driving, speeding, tailgating and driving under the influence. Morris said another goal is to remind motorists of the very large blind spots for drivers of 18-wheelers and other large vehicles.
“The rearmost portion of that vehicle to the sides, is where they can see you well. But as you travel up those vehicles, they begin to lose you. And one of the things we try to stress is if you can't see the driver in his mirror, the driver does not see you.”
Morris said tailgating on interstates is especially dangerous and calls tailgating “a recipe for bad situations.”
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