Highway Safety Leaders Demo Measures for Safe July 4th Travel
National Share the Road Safety Tour Visits Pittsburgh
to Save Lives on Pennsylvania Highways
On a Typical Day as Many as 126,000 Vehicles Travel I-279
Through Pittsburgh; Most Automobile Drivers Are Not Aware of
What They Can Do to Avoid an Accident With a Tractor-Trailer
Who: The American Trucking Associations (ATA), the Pennsylvania
State Police, AAA East Central, and the Pennsylvania Motor
Truck Association.
What: A demonstration of highway safety measures for saving lives
during the July 4th travel period will be conducted for local
news media, including "ride-alongs" in tractor-trailers, as
part of the national Share the Road safety tour visiting
Pittsburgh, PA.
When: Wednesday, June 29, 2005, 10:00 AM
Where: Pitt Ohio Express, 15 27th Street, Pittsburgh, PA (see
driving directions below.)
Summary: Professional truck drivers with millions of miles of
accident-free driving, Pennsylvania State Police, ATA, AAA
East Central, and others, will demonstrate safety measures
critical to saving lives on Pennsylvania highways during the
July 4th holiday. A static demonstration with simulated
highway lanes will show how cars and trucks get into
accidents. A professional truck driver will provide truck
ride-alongs for news reporters and photographers, providing
tips on summer driving, blind spots, driving in construction
zones, driver distraction and stopping and following
distances.
This safety advice is critical for Pittsburgh drivers
because:
* The July 4th holiday is one of the most congested periods
of highway travel all year.
* 35% of all truck-involved highway fatalities occur in a
truck's blind spots (Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration).
* Watching this demonstration will help reduce accidents and
save lives.
Directions: From Downtown Pittsburgh take Smallman Street or Liberty
Avenue or Railroad Street to 27th Street. Go left on 27th.
Pitt Ohio is at 27th and Railroad Street. From Rt. 28 go to
31st Street bridge. Take a right off 31st bridge onto Penn.
Avenue to 27th Street the right on 27th Street.
About Share the Road:
Share the Road (http://www.atasharetheroad.com/), is a
highway safety program that delivers life-saving messages to
hundreds of U.S. cities and reaches millions of motorists
annually, designed to educate all drivers about sharing the
roads safely with trucks. The safety program, sponsored by
Mack Trucks, Inc., and Chevron Delo, is presented by members
of America's Road Team, an elite team of professional truck
drivers with millions of miles of accident-free driving on
America's highways.
Tractor-trailers provided by Pitt Ohio Express and FedEx.
PRNewswire -- June 28