UPS Driver Celebrates 50 Years of Safety
As a San Francisco car accident attorney, I know firsthand how easy it can be to get in an accident. At any given moment, the simplest mistake by you or one of the millions of people sharing the road with you can lead to a catastrophic crash. If you're on the road long enough, the odds are simply in favor of suffering some kind of collision, even if it's just a minor fender bender.
That's why I was so impressed by a recent report. An Ohio man just became the first person in UPS history to reach 50 years of driving without being in a single accident. 5,200 active drivers have gone 25 years without an accident, but until now, no one had reached the coveted 50 year milestone.
The man has switched between a couple driving positions in that time. He started as a package driver for private houses and businesses before becoming a tractor-trailer operator on the open road. During his career, the driver figures he's clocked more than 4 million miles, which equates to around 35 million packages and climbing aboard the truck about 12,000 times.
The biggest impediment to the record? According to the driver, it's our own driving habits. The man says that, when he started working for the company, people were much more focused on the road, keeping their hands on the wheel and staying alert at all times. Now, though, he says he must contend with with people texting, applying makeup, and even reading books while going about their daily commute.
It can sometimes seem like a lot of doom and gloom on the roads, but as a car accident attorney in San Francisco, it's good to see someone for whom safety is paramount. We could all learn a lesson from this accident-free driver of 50 years.