Washington 鈥撎Today, 黑料不打烊 and ATA鈥檚 Share the Road highway听safety program are advising Memorial Day travelers to take extra听driving听precautions throughout the busy Memorial Day weekend.
鈥淲e are all able to travel along America鈥檚 open roads because brave men and women sacrificed their lives to preserve our freedoms,鈥 said听Share the Road Professional Truck Driver Sammy Brewster听of ABF Freight. 鈥淒uring my time in the Army, one of the lessons they instilled in us was a dedication to听safety. As a professional truck driver who spends my days on our nation鈥檚 roads, I ask all Memorial Day travelers to be extra diligent this weekend.鈥
Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend is the start of the summer travel season, and family and friends are itching to reconnect during the holiday. AAA听听39.2 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend. This year almost matches pre-pandemic levels with an increase of 8.3% over 2021, bringing travel volumes almost in line with those in 2017. Therefore, it is crucial for drivers to practice patience, planning, and听safety fundamentals.
As America remembers the fallen heroes who fought to secure the country鈥檚 freedoms, the professional trucking industry pays respect by reaffirming its strong commitment to听safety this weekend. Highly trained professional truck drivers make this weekend possible by moving more than $700 billion worth of freight each year. That would include your Memorial Day must haves like grilling supplies, food and beverages, pool floats and tubes, goggles, baseball gloves, sunscreen and patio furniture. We ask that you join the trucking industry鈥檚 initiative to make travel this Memorial Day weekend听safe.
鈥淧rofessional truck drivers are responsible for making听safe听decisions every moment of our workdays, and we want to equip other drivers with the same helpful information that we have,鈥 said听Share the Road Professional Truck Driver Bill McNamee听of Carbon Express. 鈥淏y following a few basic听safety protocols, members of the motoring public can ensure that everyone makes it home听safely this weekend鈥.
听professional drivers promote these听safety听tips听to motorists, students, members of the media, and elected officials throughout the country while on tour with the听听program. They emphasize these听tips听during major US holidays to remind motorists of all ages about key elements of听safe听driving, especially relating to听operating small passenger vehicles near large tractor-trailers.
- Buckle Up: Safety belts save lives. Day or night, and even if you鈥檙e riding in the back seat 鈥 wear your safety belt.
- Slow Down: Chance of a crash nearly triples when driving faster than surrounding traffic. Spring and summer are periods when work zones are busiest. It is important to reduce speeds when traveling through those areas.
- Do not drive impaired: There is much to celebrate this time of year, including graduations, and holidays seemingly every weekend. With that said, driving is a great responsibility, and your fellow travelers are relying on safe and attentive drivers to respectfully share the road and make good decisions.
- 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 professional truck driver in his or her mirrors, then the professional truck driver can't see you.
- Keep your eyes on the road: Distracted driving is a major cause of traffic accidents, especially among younger drivers. Even just two seconds of distraction time doubles the chances of an accident. Only use your cell phone when stopped and never text while driving.
- Do not cut in front of large trucks: Remember trucks are heavier and take longer to make a complete stop, so avoid cutting quickly in front of them.
- Prepare your vehicle for long distance travel: Check your wipers and fluids. Have your radiator and cooling system serviced. Simple maintenance before you leave your home can prevent many of the problems that might strand motorists on the side of the road.
- Leave early and avoid risks: Leave early so you won't be anxious about arriving late. Road conditions may change due to inclement weather or traffic congestion.
- Be aware of the vehicle in front of you: Leave extra room between you and the vehicle ahead. 听
- Understand congestion patterns: High traffic volumes lead to greater opportunities for accidents, so plan your trip to avoid traffic bottlenecks and increased traffic volumes.