ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With extreme winter weather blanketing the nation, and the promise of fresh snowstorms during the busy holiday travel season, million mile accident-free professional truck drivers are taking the opportunity to share their experience and help make our roads safer.

Drivers from the Share the Road national highway safety program offer this advice on how to navigate through highway traffic and arrive at your destination safely:

• Avoid extreme weather conditions: Ice, hail and snow make roads difficult to travel. Try to avoid driving through extreme weather conditions, and travel during daylight.
• Remove ice and snow from your vehicle: Clear your windows and roof of snow to ensure you have maximum visibility and avoid creating a hazard for the vehicle behind you. Don't allow ice and snow to create additional blindspots on your vehicle.
• Be aware of the vehicle in front of you: Leave extra room between you and the vehicle in front so you can avoid snow and ice blowing onto your windshield or maneuver around patches of ice.
• Prepare an emergency kit: Contents should include: battery powered radio, flashlight, blanket, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable foods, maps, tire repair kit and flares.
• Be aware of truck blind spots: When sharing the road with large trucks, be aware of their blind spots. If you can't see the truck driver in his or her mirrors, then the truck driver can't see you.
• Do not cut in front of large trucks: Remember that trucks are heavier and take longer to make a complete stop, so avoid cutting quickly in front of them.
• Slow Down: When highways are hit with wintry conditions, speeding becomes even more dangerous. Allow plenty of space cushion and reduce your speed.
• Buckle up: Safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent and are a simple way to increase your safety on the road.

"Highway travel is challenging when you add wintry conditions such as ice, snow and slush," said Share the Road professional driver Gary Leu. "Remember to take it slow, stay alert and buckle up if you need to travel during less than ideal conditions. By being patient we can all share the highway and stay safe this winter."

Share the Road is a highway safety outreach program of the American Trucking Associations that educates all drivers about sharing the roads safely with large trucks. An elite team of professional truck drivers with millions of accident-free miles deliver life-saving messages to millions of motorists annually. The safety program is sponsored by Mack Trucks, Inc. and Michelin North America, Inc. www.atastr.org

The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States. www.truckline.com

SOURCE American Trucking Associations

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.truckline.com/