Arizona State Officials Participate in Truck Safety Demonstration; Professional Truck Drivers Offer Safe Driving Tips for Summer Travel

Over 133,900 vehicles travel I-10 through Tucson each day. With so many vehicles on the highways, and with increased summer travel, it's more important than ever that motorists and drivers of large trucks learn to share the road safely.

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 July 18th, professional truck drivers, Ina Daly -- with 20 years of experience and over 1.5 million accident-free miles, and Ruben Armendariz -- with 25 years of experience and over 2.5 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.

The Arizona Motor Transport Association, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and Mack Trucks will sponsor the event.

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

  WHEN:   Friday, July 18th, 10:00 AM

  WHERE:  Horizon Moving Systems, Inc., 3600 E. 36th Street, Tucson
          Directions:  Take the 36th St. exit off Palo Verde Blvd. and
          Veterans Memorial Overpass.  Located on the other side of the
          overpass from Sam Levitz warehouse.

  WHO:    Rep. Marian McClure, AZ House of Representatives, Tucson, AZ
          Richard Fimbres, Director, Governor's Office of Highway Safety,
           Phoenix, AZ
          Micheal Jimenez, Chairman, Arizona Motor Transport Association,
           Phoenix, AZ
          Ina Daly, ATA America's Road Team Captain, Con-Way Western
           Express, Tolleson, AZ
          Ruben Armendariz, ATA America's Road Team Captain, ABF Freight
           System, Inc., Albuquerque, NM

          Lt. Mike Lockhart, Arizona Highway Patrol, Tucson, AZ
          Ellen Serrano, American Trucking Associations, Alexandria, VA

          Tractor-trailers provided by Horizon Moving Systems, Inc., Con-Way
           Western Express and ABF Freight System, Inc. and McKelvey
           Trucking.