National Share the Road Highway Safety Program Visits Americade to Save Lives

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y., -- Life-saving highway driving tips were presented today as part of the American Trucking Associations' national Share the Road highway safety tour by top professional truck drivers.

The 2008 Americade motorcycle rally provided the perfect backdrop for the elite group of million mile accident-free drivers to share their message of road safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcycles are the only major motor vehicle category in which death rates have risen during the last decade.

The Lake George, N.Y., Share the Road stop demonstrated to drivers how to share the road safely with large trucks. The presentation, part of ATA's National Safety Month outreach efforts, will continue through Saturday afternoon, with specially scheduled "ride-alongs" available by request.

"Americade is a chance for us to talk to a large number of motorcycle enthusiasts about the techniques they should know in order to stay safe around tractor-trailers," said David May, a professional truck driver for Con-way Freight. "Being from upstate New York myself, I feel like I am making a difference here with motorists I see on the highways. Hopefully attendees will leave the show with a better understanding of passing safely, maintaining a safe speed and keeping a minimum following distance, so everyone stays safe out on the highway."

Featured at this weekend's event were professional truck drivers Wayne Crowder (FedEx Ground), Kent Durant (Roadway) and David May (Con-way Freight). Those 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.

Crowder told attendees and reporters at the event that, "Share the Road allows me as a truck driver to give people life-saving advice. Most drivers were never taught what they can do to avoid an accident with a tractor-trailer. By being aware of the blind spots around trucks, all drivers can more easily avoid crashes. This information, and other safety advice, will help everyone to share the roads safely."

Today's presentation of Share the Road safety measures is important to motorists because:

  --  Motorcycle fatalities have increased nearly 60 percent during the last
      five years (NHTSA).
  --  35 percent of all truck-involved highway fatalities occur in a truck's
      blind spots (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration).
  --  According to three different studies - including the AAA Traffic
      Safety Foundation and DOT, 3 out of 4 truck-involved fatalities are
      unintentionally initiated by car drivers.

The safety demonstration today at the 2008 Americade motorcycle rally will continue through Sat. Reporters are able to view safe merging and stopping distances from the truck driver's perspective, and learn up close and personal some of the differences between how cars and large trucks operate on the highways. The demonstration is designed to teach specific skills to motorists in order to drive safely around other automobiles and around trucks and large commercial vehicles on the highways, and to arrive safely at their destinations.