Tennessee Trucking Association, BBTS to hold holiday rest breaks

Members of Tennessee’s Road Team and the TTA will be at rest areas across the state providing free refreshments for travelers and encouraging safety. (The Trucker file photo)

The Trucker News Services

6/30/2010

To promote highway safety for all drivers over the Fourth of July weekend, the Tennessee Trucking Association (TTA) with the support of Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions is holding its annual Holiday Safety Break Friday.

Members of Tennessee’s Road Team and the TTA will be at rest areas across the state providing free refreshments for travelers and encouraging safety as they travel this holiday weekend by buckling up, slowing down, keeping a safe following distance and not drinking and driving.

TTA will have a  tractor-trailer on display at each location to illustrate the four blind spots around large vehicles where crashes are more likely to occur.

Motorists will be able to climb inside the truck and see the blind spots for themselves. 

Seventy to 75 percent of all truck-related auto fatalities are caused by the car driver, according to figures from the Department of Transportation and American Automobile Association with 35 percent these occur in a truck’s blind spots.

“Many drivers don’t realize the limitations of larger vehicles,” said Dave Huneryager, president and CEO of TTA. “By helping motorists understand how to safely share the road with large commercial trucks, we hope to make this weekend safer for everyone.”

 The Holiday Safety Breaks will run from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the following locations:

Rest area I-40 Westbound near Dickson, Mile Marker 170

Rest area 1-40 Eastbound near Jackson, Mile Marker 73

Rest area 1-40 Eastbound near Dandridge, Mile Marker 420

Rest area I-24 Eastbound near Nickajack Dam, Mile Marker 160

The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at editor@thetrucker.com.