"Drive Safer Sunday" falls on what is traditionally the busiest highway travel day of the year - the Sunday following Thanksgiving. It has been recognized this year by more than twenty state governors and, again this year, prompted an official Resolution from the U.S. Senate.
Steve Owings and his wife, Susan, founded Road Safe America in 2003 after their son, Cullum, was killed when his car - stopped in an interstate traffic jam - was crushed from behind by a speeding tractor trailer going eight miles per hour above the posted speed limit on cruise control. That crash occurred on the Sunday after Thanksgiving as Cullum returned to college after spending the week at home in Atlanta with his family and friends.
"The Sunday after Thanksgiving will always be a painful one for our family," Steve Owings said. "But we hope that by raising awareness of the dangers of holiday travel, other lives will be spared and other families will not have to deal with needless, tragic loss."
U.S. Department of Transportation statistics show that, among the 40,000 average highway deaths each year during the past decade, over 500 are truckers and about 4,000 are auto drivers and passengers involved in collisions with big trucks.
RSA reminds everyone traveling during Thanksgiving - and the Christmas and New Year's holidays to come - to:
- Get plenty of rest before setting out and take frequent breaks to remain alert.
- Consider driving during off-peak travel hours to minimize congestion.
- Avoid unnecessary distractions behind the wheel - including loud sound systems and the use of any hand-held devices. Remember that in many states, a hand-held phone - and particularly texting behind the wheel - has become illegal.
- Give large trucks plenty of room since they can't see as well, maneuver as quickly, or stop in the same distance as passenger vehicles can.
For more information, visit http://www.roadsafeamerica.org/ .
Road Safe America: PO Box 191502 Atlanta, GA 31119-1502
Executive Director: Thomas M. Hodgson tmhodgson@roadsafeamerica.org
NEWS SOURCE: Road Safe America :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (who is solely responsible for its accuracy) by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®.