THINK = SAFTY = FIRST

Weather it be for your personal protection or the safty of others.
It seems to go hand and hand.
Inspect your self and your situation.
Be aware of your surroundings, And of the people around you.
Listen and learn.
Take one day and just listen to your CB Radio you can learn alot.
When you park your truck, Take a look around you and see who is around you. Also look out for other drivers. When you see two people walking together, Look at them closely take in all the information you can about them.It just may help someone out someday.
When you stop and leave your truck for any amount of time, Check it over before you enter the cab. Take time to check out the cab and sleeper, especially if your running team,You don't want to leave your co-driver somewhere. They tend to get a little upset over that.LOL. But do it more for yourself. Once you feel you are ready to roll do one more check.
This could save you some embarrasement as well as Possible termination. Apply your trailer break and pull your tractor forward to be sure your king pin is still hooked up. It is better to visually check this out. There are still a few drivers out there that think it's funny to see a trailer hit the ground.
Remember you are not alone out there and others will help you but always cover your but. It never hurts to ask for help. Some may make fun of you but we know what their problems is.
Better Safty makes for better Roads to travel. Happy Trails. Pebbles

I wanted to add a neat story to your..."look around you" type deal and "notice people".

My mother, who is physically handicapped, managed to get on the truck with me and take a 10 day trip. It was very difficult getting the accomodations necessary to help her get in and out of the truck and such, but let me tell ya, her body may have been weak, but her mind wasn't.

We were stopped at a truck stop in the middle of Mississippi somewhere eating lunch. My Mom was a smoker and was enjoying the company of smoking with others in a restuarant. So I left her to her cigarette when I went out to get some sleep. About an hour later, she knocked on the side of the cab to let me know she was ready to come in and that she needed my help. When I finally maneuvered her into the jump seat we were talking about some of the people she met while in there.

One particular family caught her interest b/c it was a Dad with three children who were pretty ratty and tattered looking. She said they came in and sat down to eat at the restaurant and they scarfed down the food so fast that she knew it was probably days since the children had eaten. She said the children were very dirty and looked as though they hadn't had a bath in days. She said it was just so sad of a situation and her heart was broken just looking at the children being so neglected and starving like they were.

Well, while looking through the Trucker or one of the other trucker magazines she had picked up in there, we saw an FBI wanted/missing list showing these 3 children as missing!! My mom glanced at the photo and couldn't believe that it was the same children!!! Unfortunately she didn't see the pictures of the children until the next morning but at least the information she could give on the missing children would be a lead in helping the officials put these children back in the hands of someone who can take care of them! They were listed as kidnapped by a non-custodial father and had been missing for months.

Whenever we called the missing children's hotline, they were hot on this guy's trail and had been spotted 150 miles from there just several days before.

I'd have a hard time believing that the children were better off with this guy. But just by noticing people around you, I'd like to think that these children will be either reunited with the family members who can take care of them, or put in a state foster care program where they can get their needs met.

My mom may have played a part in getting them to safety--because it was obvious from the way they looked that they had been on the run for awhile.

So you never know what a side ways glance will do for another person.....or for your safety!

GG