Highway Safety Leaders Demo Measures for Safe July 4th Travel
National Share the Road Safety Tour Visits Des Moines to Save Lives on Iowa Highways On a Typical Day as Many as 124,000 Vehicles Travel I-235 through Des Moines; 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 Iowa Department of Transportation, AAA Minnesota/Iowa, Iowa Motor Truck Association, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Iowa Road Team. 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 Des Moines, IA. When: Wednesday, June 29, 2005, 10:00 AM Where: Bosselman Travel Center, Exit 142, I-80, Altoona, IA (see driving directions below.) Summary: Professional truck drivers with millions of miles of accident- free driving, Iowa DOT, ATA, AAA, and others, will demonstrate safety measures critical to saving lives on Iowa 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 Des Moines 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: Take I-35 north to I-80 east. Then take Exit 142 and go South. 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 Mack dealer Housby Mack and FedEx Freight.
PRNewswire -- June 28