American Trucking Associations And Con-way Freight Team Up For Highway Safety

Ann Arbor, MI - This holiday season AAA predicts that 64.9 million drivers will hit the road — the most on record. To promote safe driving, American Trucking Associations (ATA) and Con-way Freight have teamed up to launch a national public service announcement (PSA) safe-driving campaign. The 30-second piece became available Dec. 10, and will run through the New Year to educate the motoring public about tractor-trailer "no-zones."

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 35 percent of all truck-involved highway fatalities occur in a truck's blind spots. The joint PSA features Con-way Freight President John G. Labrie explaining these blind spots, or "no-zones," which are located in the front, rear and on both sides of the tractor-trailer. In the PSA, Labrie cautions motorists not to "hang out in the no-zones," explaining that if the motorist cannot see the truck driver's face in the truck's side-view mirror, then the truck driver cannot see them. To view and download the PSA, please visit www.con-waymediacenter.com/psa (139MB).

"With record numbers of travelers expected on our nation's highways this holiday season, it's a perfect time to remind motorists to remain aware of their surroundings and understand the visibility challenges that truck drivers face," said Labrie. "Joining forces with ATA is a natural step toward raising the awareness of safety issues for all who share the road."

The PSA campaign complements ATA's "Share the Road" initiative, a national highway safety outreach program 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 hundreds of U.S. cities and millions of motorists annually. Dennis Day, a Con-way Freight driver based in Lawrenceville, Ga., is a member of the team.

"Highway safety education is a key component of the trucking industry's comprehensive safety initiative," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "ATA is proud to partner with Con-way Freight to promote this important safety message."

Safety is a core value at Con-way Freight. In September, the company received the 2007 President's Trophy award for the Large Fleet category from the Safety & Loss Prevention Management Council of American Trucking Associations (ATA). President's Trophy award winners are honored for outstanding commitment to safety industry-wide and among all highway users.

SOURCE: Con-way Inc. and American Trucking Associations