Reporters were given the opportunity to sit in the truck driver's seat, searching the truck's mirrors for the cars they knew were we there - and never finding them. WTVJ, CH 6 - NBC's Jeff Guerra shakes hands with America's Road Team Captain Don Nehring after a truckride on Miami's crowded highways. Guerra confessed his secret childhood desire was to be a truck driver and travel the United States. If these numbers follow national statistics, nearly 70 percent of the 317 truck accidents were initiated by the driver of the car - and at least 35 percent of them occurred in the blind spots. These numbers indicate the urgent need to educate car drivers about how to drive safely around trucks.
Trucking plays an important role in the Florida economy.
One out of every 12 workers is employed in the trucking industry and 84 percent of all Florida communities are served exclusively by truck. In addition, trucks carry 80 percent of all manufactured freight transported in Florida. Don Nehring, Road Team Captain and driver for FedEx Ground and Jean Bellegarde, ATA, take a break to show off the colorful new FedEx Ground logo. This national safety program has reached 30 million U.S. households with its lifesaving message. Also participating in today's safety demonstration were representatives from the Florida Trucking Association and the Florida Motor Carrier Safety Administration.