TIA Previews Roadside Service Safety Week
The Tire Industry Association (TIA)'s Roadside Service Safety Week is designed to raise awareness about roadside service technician safety.
The event, which takes place May 18-22, also is intended to educate the motoring public about roadside tire technician safety and laws designed to protect roadside techs.
"In recent years, the tire industry has experienced an unacceptable number of accidents involving emergency road service technicians," say TIA officials. "While distracted driving remains a leading cause, some incidents could have been prevented through proper service truck positioning and the use of warning devices to alert oncoming traffic.
"Roadside Service Safety Week aims to bring attention to these risks while providing practical education and resources to improve safety practices across the industry. TIA encourages commercial tire service providers, industry partners, and stakeholders to actively participate in this initiative and help promote safer roadside environments.
"In addition to promoting best practices, TIA will continue advocating for the expansion of 'Move Over laws' to include roadside service and repair vehicles in all states and provinces."
As part of Roadside Service Safety Week, on May 18 TIA will debut a new safety video demonstrating the importance of properly positioning a service truck behind a disabled vehicle and utilizing warning devices to create a visible work zone. The video highlights the difference from a driver’s perspective during both daytime and nighttime conditions, reinforcing why parking behind the vehicle provides a greater level of protection than parking in front."
On May 19, Kevin Rohliwing, TIA's chief technical officer, will host a webinar that covers safe service truck positioning. The following day, a webinar featuring TIA and industry safety professionals will take place. They will discuss roadside service accident prevention strategies.
On May 21, TIA Vice President of Government Affairs Roy Littlefield IV will host a webinar in which he reviews the status of "Move Over laws." And on May 22, TIA will roll out iits Roadside Service Safety Week poster.
"Roadside Service Safety Week is about more than awareness," says TIA CEO Dick Gust. "It's about action. Every technician who responds to a roadside call deserves to return home safely. By educating both our industry and the driving public, we can reduce preventable incidents and create a safer environment for everyone on the road.”
All daily activities will be available at www.tireindustry.org beginning at 8 a.m. ET each day. The video, webinars and poster will also be available for download "and can be used year-round as part of training and safety programs," say TIA officials.
"TIA encourages the entire industry and motoring public to take part in Roadside Service Safety Week and to continue using these resources year-round because roadside safety starts with awareness and awareness saves lives."