America's Road Team & Tennessee Trucking Association Educate Motorists During Annual Safety Break

ARLINGTON, Va., July 1, 2011 -- As part of the Tennessee Trucking Association's annual Safety Break, America's Road Team will bring the American Trucking Associations' high-tech Image Trailer to an Athens, Tenn. area rest stop. Captains will be on hand to share with motorists their years of million mile accident-free driving.

The high-tech truck will be set up at the rest stop on I-75 northbound at the 44-45 mile-marker rest area south of Athens July 1 from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm, where Captains and representatives of the Tennessee Trucking Association will hand out refreshments to motorists taking a break. America's Road Team Captains will discuss safe passing techniques, the correct way to merge around a truck, safe following distances and talk about why distracted driving is such a highway hazard.

"It's great to be talking with the motorists who are traveling this weekend," said Kenny Lowry, a professional truck driver for Wal-Mart Transportation. "The July 4th holiday is a busy time on the highways and by educating the motorists about highway safety we feel can make a difference and save lives."

Featured at the event today are America's Road Team Captains Kenny Lowry (Wal-Mart Transportation) who has 34 years of experience and over 3 million miles of accident-free driving; and Dennis Martin (UPS Freight) who has 17 years of driving experience and nearly 1 million miles of accident-free driving.

The America's Road Team, sponsored by Volvo Trucks North America, is a national public outreach program led by a small group of professional truck drivers who share superior driving skills, remarkable safety records and a strong desire to spread the word about safety on the highway.

The Image Trailer, which was donated to ATA by GE Trailer Fleet Services, travels the United States visiting State Capitols, high schools, community events and more. The 53-foot custom drop deck show trailer, fully wrapped in an American flag themed graphic, features a mobile conference room with seven projection screens, educational displays and room for interactive trucking demonstrations. The trailer is pulled by a Volvo VN780 tractor, donated by Volvo Trucks North America.

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.