ATA Warns 4-wheelers About Dangers of 'Drafting'

Cybergal · Jun 8, 2007

ATA Warns 4-wheelers About Dangers of 'Drafting'
6/8/07

The American Trucking Associations is urging automobile drivers to avoid the dangerous practice of tailgating heavy trucks in efforts to increase fuel economy. The nation's largest trucking industry trade group also is advising fleet safety directors to warn their drivers and owner-operators about the resurgence of this dangerous practice among automobile drivers, known as "drafting."
"Drafting" involves driving a car very close behind a truck to use the reduction of wind resistance to reduce the amount of energy needed to propel the auto.
"Few driving behaviors are more dangerous on our highways than drafting," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "Drivers who practice this unsafe behavior are often out of the field of vision of the truck driver and are unable to see around the truck. 'Drafting' is unsafe, illegal and significantly increases the chances of injury and death. This practice compromises the safety of everyone on the nation's highways and must not be considered a viable means of extending fuel mileage."
ATA recently learned that drafting is being promoted by two web sites dedicated to "hypermiling," and several recent news articles have described the hazardous fad. Hypermiling is an invented term for achieving high fuel economy by several means, including dangerous ones such as driving partly on the right shoulder, over-inflating tires, coasting with the ignition off and "drafting" behind tractor-trailers.

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Brickman · Jun 8, 2007

"Hypermilling" only goes to prove that morons should not breed.

Brickman · Jun 8, 2007

In all fairness I just checked out 4 or 5 of the top hypermilling sites that came up with a Google search. To their credit all of them appeared to be trying to put highway safety FIRST and MPGs second.

jamwadmag · Jun 8, 2007

I see em coming, and settle it, then I start "porposing"---they dont hang around long!

navyeoseabee · Jun 10, 2007

funny this is said just two days after the mythbusters show on how drafting does save you 41% fuel at 10ft from the rear bumper of a box trailer !!!! thank you hollywood!!! but hey it is all about ratings and next years contract for them...

americanmadeford · Jun 11, 2007

Brickman said: ↑

"Hypermilling" only goes to prove that morons should not breed.
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Hold it Brickman. THat article screwed up. Hypermilling means achieving MPG results about the EPA estimates for your vehicle. Only a few people go so far as to do dangerous stunts to get there.

onexcop · Jun 11, 2007

navyeoseabee said: ↑

funny this is said just two days after the mythbusters show on how drafting does save you 41% fuel at 10ft from the rear bumper of a box trailer !!!! thank you hollywood!!! but hey it is all about ratings and next years contract for them...
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Very true... and they forgot to mention the 50% decline in the "drafter's" longevity! lol

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