Share the Road Safely in Buffalo; Professional Truck Drivers Offer Safe Driving Tips

Over 135,000 vehicles travel I-90 through Buffalo each day. With so many vehicles on the highways, and with summer traffic on its way, it's more important than ever that motorists learn to share the road safely with large trucks and other commercial vehicles.

In a highway scenario, professional truck drivers will demonstrate how to drive safely around tractor-trailers on local highways and provide a truck ride-along for reporters and photographers because:

  * 75% of all truck-related car fatalities are initiated by car drivers
  * 35% of all truck-related car fatalities occur in a truck's blind spots
  * Watching this demonstration will help reduce accidents

Most drivers were never taught how to share the road safely with trucks, nor do they understand that there are large blind spots around trucks where cars become "invisible". That's why on June 5th, professional truck driver, Bob St. John -- with 29 years of experience and over 2.5 million accident-free miles -- and Tim Maryniak -- with 20 years of experience and 1 million accident free miles -- will give a safety demonstration and truck ride-along to teach motorists how to stay safe on our nation's highways.

To demonstrate a tractor-trailer's blind spots, cars and trucks will be placed in the front, rear and sides of the trucks -- and will "disappear" from the truck driver's view. The American Trucking Associations (ATA), Mack Trucks and the New York State Motor Truck Association will sponsor the event. For more information please see: www.atasharetheroad.com

Rides will be available for the media immediately following the news conference.

  WHEN:      Thursday, June 5th, 10:00 AM

  WHERE:     HazMat Environmental Group, Inc., 60 Commerce Drive, Buffalo,
              NY 14218
             Directions:  Take Rt. 5 west to the Ridge Road exit.  At the
              bottom of the ramp make a left.  The next left is North Gates
              Avenue and Commerce.  HazMat is on the left at the end.

  WHO:       Bob St. John, ATA's 2001 America's Road Team Captain, Jevic
              Transportation, Inc., Tabernacle, NJ

             Tim Maryniak, New York State Road Team, Roadway Express, West
              Seneca, New York

             Sgt. Ray Weiss, New York State Police, Commercial Vehicle
              Enforcement Unit, Albany, New York

             Kendra Pollard, Deputy Director, New York State Motor Truck
              Association, Albany, NY

             Ellen Serrano, American Trucking Associations, Alexandria, VA