SAFETY CHAMPIONS
Honoring Those Who Put A Focus On Safe Driving Year After Year
Today, the wall boasts more than 425 associates’ names with additional drivers earning their safety awards every month. Among those listed is Fort Smith shuttle driver DARREN VANMETER. Darren, who recently celebrated his 25th anniversary with our team, has also been a safe driving award winner since he came aboard in 1998. “I’ve always been a very safety-minded person,” Darren says. “Before I came to Averitt, I worked on an oil field, so safety is a major part of both jobs. You never want to put yourself in a position where you hurt yourself or someone else. Not only do you have your job to think about, but you also have to remember you have a family at home.” Like many of our drivers, Darren takes pride in upholding Averitt’s safety image. “When you see drivers out on the road who aren’t being careful, I think it is embarrassing,” Darren says. “It gives their carrier a bad name, and I like keeping Averitt’s appearance positive. I know accidents can happen that are out of our control, but driving carelessly is inexcusable and avoidable.” While on the road, Darren says there are two basic practices drivers should follow to ensure they’re driving safely. Displayed proudly just inside the doors of our corporate office in Cookeville is a wall of names labeled “Safety Champions.” The exhibit lists the names of every active driver who has at least 20 years of safe driving under their belt.
“Keep a safe distance and use signal lights. Both are extremely simple things to do, but both are keys to being safe. Trucks can’t stop on a dime, and we can’t predict when a vehicle you’re following may suddenly stop. And turn signals are our way of communicating our intentions with other motorists.” We are extremely proud of Darren and our long list of Safety Champions. Congratulations to each of you for being exemplary models of consistency and for your commitment to doing things the right way. Your efforts make a difference, and they help us to continue to be a leader in the industry! T m Fort Smith shuttle driver DARREN VANMETER recently celebrated 25 years of safe driving, and he says two important keys to his success through the years have been keeping a safe distance and using turn signals.
SAFETY SENSE
Speed Control Our Focus For Second Quarter Our Speed Control safety course is a great tool
An important part of driving a commercial vehicle is maintaining control, and that includes choosing the appropriate speed based on road conditions, speed limits and Averitt policy.
entered in a drawing for 10 winners of 250,000 Red Thinkin’ Rewards points. You can find the course at InsideAveritt.com/SpeedControl. T m
that can help you freshen up your skills, and we’ll be focusing on the course throughout the second quarter. As an incentive to watch the video, all driving associates who complete the course before June 30, 2023, will be
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