The California Highway Patrol is forming a task force aimed at decreasing truck-related collisions on I-15 near Barstow, the Desert Dispatch reported. An $180,000 state grant will fund the project.

The patrol's goal is to have a 10-percent decrease in collisions that involve trucks, CHP Barstow Station Capt. Lisa Lawrence told the newspaper. She said one way to achieve that goal was to educate motorists as to how they could safely share the roads with semis.

CHP officials plan a 20-person panel with representatives from The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), San Bernardino County, the trucking industry and area residents.

Lawrence said the task force would be charged with finding concrete solutions to improve road safety. Anyone interested in taking part in the task force should call the CHP Public Information Office at (760) 256-1727.