Local tractor trailer driver honored for exemplary driving

By KEVIN HOWELL
By KEVIN HOWELL

Salem News staff writer

At a time when one is more likely to see a driver talking on a cell phone than one with both hands on the wheel, one Leetonia truck driver has displayed exemplary care on the road.

Recognized by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) for five years of safe, accident-free driving of a commercial tractor trailer, Dan Sebrell said it is an honor to be recognized for his careful driving.

“I have always had a strong admiration for those who have gone before me and achieved 25, 30 and even 40 years of safe driving,” he said. “I am just happy I have made it to five. It was hard work to stay safe, but worth it all the way.”

Learning safety started early, Sebrell said, when he began hauling 50,000-pound steel coil loads in 1999. Quickly realizing that it takes great care to haul such heavy weight, he said that the rules he learned early, such as starting and stopping slowly, taking curves slowly and carefully and talking to other drivers with his lights, have continued to guide him today.

“These are things I learned early on and have kept them in constant practice throughout my career,” he said.

Having logged over 1 million miles in all 48 contiguous states except South Dakota, Sebrell said his faith in God has helped him on the long trips.

“When I started my driving career, I didn’t put the emphasis on God like I do now, and it shows in my record,” he said.

A graduate of Lisbon David Anderson High School and the Columbiana County Career Center, Sebrell has been married to his wife, Charmaine, for 12 and a half years, with two dogs, Sassy and Nutmeg.

Attending Lake Mount Church of Christ north of Rogers, Sebrell said lately he has been able to work closer to home and can dedicate more of his time to coordinating a personal finance class at the church as well as helping a friend start a trucking business that will keep him in a 250-mile radius of home.

“I love meeting new people and helping them succeed with their personal finances,” he said. “It keeps me humble and reminds me that it is better to give than to receive.”

Describing his job as mostly uneventful, Sebrell said that staying safe is important to not only himself, but others on the road as well.

“I feel there are too many people on the road today that do not make safety a priority, and that scares me,” he said. “People have to remember that your driver’s license is not a right, but a privilege.”

According to a press release, the OOIDA Safe Driving Award Program is designed to recognize and reward OOIDA members for their safe, accident-free years while operating a commercial vehicle. Safe driving awards are available to all OOIDA members who qualify based upon the number of years for which the member has operated a commercial vehicle without being involved in a preventable accident. The association currently has more than 162,000 members from all 50 states and Cananda.

Kevin Howell can be reached at khowell<\@>salemnews.net