Michigan State Police Officers Hitching Rides in Semis This Week – Here’s Why

You may see Michigan State Police Officers riding shotgun in semi-trucks this week and it's not simply because they're hitching a ride. MSP officers are actually trying to thwart distracted driving.

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Distracted Driving Can Be a Killer

We all know how dangerous distracted driving is. We've seen people texting while driving, we've followed vehicles that were weaving in and out of their lanes, and maybe at some point, you've been guilty of texting and driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 3,000 people were killed by distracted driving in 2020 alone.

I'll admit it. I used to let myself be distracted by texts and emails while driving and I had myself convinced that I was very good at multi-tasking. But I haven't done it in a very long time. Personally, I made a commitment many years ago not to pick up my phone while I'm behind the wheel.

From a Truck Driver's Vantage Point

One of my stepsons is a semi-truck driver. Sitting high above other drivers and having over a million miles under his belt, he's shared many, many stories of tragedy. In just a matter of weeks after beginning his truck driving career a dozen years ago, he immediately sold his motorcycle, saying that the number of people he observed doing foolish things while driving was truly alarming.

That's why officers from the Michigan State Police and the Wisconsin State Patrol are riding in semi-trucks this week. The campaign is called 'Trooper in a Truck' and it gives officers an opportunity to observe drivers from the same vantage point professional truck drivers have.

The campaign runs through July 15, 2022.