title: A survey of light-vehicle driver education curriculum on sharing the road with heavy vehicles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Light-vehicle driver education programs that contain content about sharing the road with heavy vehicles may be helpful in reducing future light-vehicle/heavy-vehicle interactions. However, the extent of curricula in the United States including such content is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Researchers developed an online survey targeted at instructors/administrators of state driver education programs to identify curricula addressing heavy vehicles and to determine perceived effectiveness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-one percent of respondents indicated that the light-vehicle driver education curriculum they teach/administer included a component covering how to safely share the road with heavy vehicles (82% perceived this component to be effective).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a large proportion of these programs included a component on how to safely share the road with heavy vehicles, participants indicated there may be room for improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants recommended that future improvements to driver education programs include updated materials and student hands-on experience with heavy vehicles.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 3500 Transportation Research Plaza, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA. sbaker@vtti.vt.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Schaudt
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Freed
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toole
mesh_terms: D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000145:classification*; D012449:Safety; D014481:United States