America's Road Team gives Memorial Day safety tips

The Trucker News Services

5/22/2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — As motorists prepare for Memorial Day Weekend travel, a team of million-mile-accident-free drivers is helping make roads safer.

America’s Road Team Captains, elite professional truck drivers chosen by the American Trucking Associations, are offering advice on how to navigate through highway traffic and arrive at your destination safely. Tips include:

• Perform a pre-trip inspection — Check your tire pressure, wipers and fluids. Simple maintenance can prevent many of the problems that strand motorists on the side of the road before you leave your home.     

• Pay attention — Looking away for even two seconds doubles the chances of an accident

• Allow a safety cushion — Look 1/4 mile ahead for a safe path.  Leave yourself an out.

• Slow down — Chances of a crash nearly triples when driving faster than surrounding traffic.

• Large trucks have blind spots — If you can't see the truck driver in his or her mirrors, then the truck driver can’t see you.

• Buckle up — Safety belts are not a fashion statement – they save lives.

• Abide by traffic rules — Follow traffic signs and signals.

• Be careful backing up — One in four preventable collisions involve backing up.  Be sure to look before backing up; walk around your car prior to departure.

• Do not cut in front of large trucks — Remember that trucks are heavier and take longer to make a complete stop, so avoid cutting quickly in front of them.

“We tend to see a significant increase in highway traffic during Memorial Day Weekend,” said Wayne Crowder, captain of America’s Road Team. “Additional cars on the road means safe driving habits become all the more important. For the sake of every motorist, drivers need to slow down and follow the rules of the road.”

The America’s Road Team would like to remind the motoring public that from driveway to highway, safety requires patience and dedication.