California was second with 378. Texas' ranking is directly related to its size and increased congestion on its roadways, the group said. Texas and most other states have seen an increase in truck-related deaths over the last three years. After several high-profile crashes this year in the Houston area, a state trucking association has joined with the Texas Department of Transportation to launch a safety campaign in that city.
Officials hope to expand it to other cities next spring.
The campaign will focus on public education, highway engineering and law enforcement. Billboards and radio and television announcements will be used to tell the public about the dangers of driving in a tractor-trailer rig's blind spot. The state also will produce a safety video and truckers can participate in free, half-day educational seminars next month at Houston Community College. Law enforcement officials must stop trucks that are too heavy or too long and crack down on drivers who work too many hours, the group said. The goals that it sets out are totally impossible.