As the school year comes to an end, WM encourages residents to review safety tips with their children regarding waste collection trucks. Safety precautions are important now more than ever when children are spending more time outside.
“Safety is always our top priority, and we want to make sure children in our communities are safe as they spend time outdoors this summer,” said Mark Noel, WM Director – Environmental, Health and Safety. “We know that kids love to see our big green trucks and WM highly recommends that an adult accompanies small children who may want to get a closer look at garbage trucks they see on the street.”
SUMMER SAFETY TIPS
• Keep at least 15 feet from service trucks. Never climb on the truck. Do not play or stand in or around waste and recycling bins or cans, since you may not know when the truck is coming to empty them.
• Learn the schedule of when service vehicles are in the area. Waste and recycling trucks, postal vehicles and other package delivery services keep regular schedules within each neighborhood.
• Always keep a safe distance from a truck. It takes service vehicles nearly twice as long to stop as a passenger car, so never cut in front of or stop suddenly in front of one.
• Do not allow children to help with loading any materials into the truck, and do not stand behind the truck while it is being loaded. Be cautious of debris that may be dislodged during compacting.
• Vehicles like WM trucks make frequent stops and wide turns, so do not follow the truck closely or try to go around a moving truck while driving, walking, running, biking or riding an electric vehicle such as a golf cart or scooter.
• Be aware of blind spots. There are several areas where visibility can be restricted for the driver. If you cannot see the driver’s eyes, they may not see you.
• Every WM truck is equipped with a back-up alarm. Stay alert and listen for the “beep-beep-beep” sound, an indication that the truck is backing up. Whether you’re walking or driving near one of our trucks, if you hear this sound or see its white back-up lights, be sure to move out of the way.
