September 10-16 marks National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, an annual, nationwide celebration and cornerstone program spearheaded by the American Trucking Associations to recognize and honor the vital contributions of truck drivers to our daily lives and the economy. 

We understand the important role truck drivers play on our roadways. Together, through our partnerships with trucking and transportation companies, we have invested in the safety of truck drivers across the Southeast. Our partners that have implemented our 43 Key Seconds safe driving initiative are investing in their employees to show employee safety on the road matters to their employer. Truck drivers employed by our partners are outfitted with the 43 Key Seconds key and checklist that reminds them to take 43 Key Seconds to ensure they have a clear head, clear hands, clear eyes and click their seatbelt before starting their vehicle. Additionally, their trucks display our “Protected by 43 Key Seconds” decal, serving as another reminder to all drivers on the road to take 43 Key Seconds to ensure their safety behind the wheel. 

Another way we can all show our appreciation for truck drivers is through our behaviors behind the wheel. In partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation, our Safe Driving Summits, partner with J & M Tank Lines, Inc. to educate teen drivers about sharing the road with tractor-trailers and other large trucks during the Share the Road: Get to Know Big Trucks breakout session. 

In this breakout session, students are shown on how to safely share the road with tractor -trailers. Students learn about stopping distances, blind spots, passing, general safety, and distractions when it comes to driving alongside these tractor-trailers. Students get the opportunity to speak one-on-one with truck drivers, tour the tractor-trailers, climb in the cab of the truck to see what professional truck drivers see, as well as what operations these drivers go through to ensure they are being safe on the roads. 

Some stats these students are educated on: 

• The weight of fully loaded tractor trailer is 80,000 lbs vs. the average car is 4,000 lbs
• The stopping distance for a tractor-trailer traveling at 65 mph is 120 yards
• The safe merging distance in front of a tractor trailer is 30 yards
• The safe following distance behind a tractor trailer is 30 yards
  • If you cannot see the mirrors on both sides of the truck when following, you are too close
• The passenger side is a truck driver’s largest blind spots – the blindspot spans 3 lanes and up to 120 yards

Together, we can all share our appreciation for truck drivers by sharing the road and being accountable for our action behind the wheel.