Oct. 2, 2009 (PR Newswire) -- Safety Program Visits in Conjunction with Annual Trucking Industry Conference
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Life-saving highway driving tips were presented today by top professional truck drivers as a precursor to the American Trucking Associations' annual Management Conference and Exhibition held Oct. 4-7 in Las Vegas.
Elite million mile accident-free drivers shared their message of highway safety with drivers, attendees and industry safety partners, demonstrating how over the past decade alone, the large truck fatal crash rate dropped by 23 percent.
The Mayor of North Las Vegas, Shari L. Buck, American Trucking Associations, Nevada Motor Transport Association, Nevada Highway Patrol, American Automobile Association and the Share the Road sponsors, Mack Trucks and Michelin North America, joined the elite group of drivers to discuss highway safety.
"I've been a truck driver my entire life," said Tim Dean, a professional truck driver for Werner Enterprises. "And I can tell you, safe highway driving has never been more important. With more traffic on the roads, we all need to slow down and use extra caution. Hopefully, sharing my experience here in Las Vegas will help save lives."
Featured at today's event were professional truck drivers Tim Dean (Werner Enterprises), Eddie Hosegood (Publix Supermarkets), Paul Gattin (ABF Freight System) and Ron VanBibber (YRC). These drivers are members of an elite team of million-mile, accident-free truck drivers who deliver the trucking industry's safety messages across the country.
Nevada Motor Transportation Association CEO Paul Enos told reporters at the event that, "Trucking is one of the largest industries in Nevada, so it is important to teach cars and trucks how to co-exist safely on our highways. Share the Road is a vital part of our efforts to make drivers aware of the blind spots around trucks, and help everyone make it home safely. It is great to have this important program here in Las Vegas."
The safety advice presented by Share the Road is critical for motorists because:
-- Nevada ranks among the highest crash rates (top ten) in the nation
(NDOT)
-- In 2007, the large truck-involved injury crash rate fell to its lowest
ever (USDOT)
-- Over the past decade alone, the large truck fatal crash rate dropped by
23 percent (USDOT)
-- 35 percent of all truck-involved highway fatalities occur in a truck's
blind spots (FMCSA)
-- Up to 75 percent of all truck-involved fatalities are unintentionally
initiated by car drivers (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety)
Following the safety demonstration today at Morton's Flying J Travel Plaza in Las Vegas, reporters and photographers were given tractor-trailer rides on the highway. From the truck driver's perspective they viewed safe merging and stopping distances, and learned up close and personal some of the differences between how cars and large trucks operate on the highways. Today's demonstration was designed to teach specific skills in order for motorists to drive safely around other automobiles and around trucks on the highways, so that they arrive safely at their destinations.
Share the Road is a highway safety outreach program of the American Trucking Associations that educates all drivers about sharing the roads safely with large trucks. An elite team of professional truck drivers with millions of accident-free miles deliver life-saving messages to millions of motorists annually. The safety program is sponsored by Mack Trucks, Inc. and Michelin North America, Inc. www.atastr.org
SOURCE American Trucking Associations
