May is Oregon’s Transportation Safety Month and May 5 is Occupational Safety and Health Professional (OSHP) day, according to a press release issued by the American Society of Safety Engineers. Local corporate, state, trucking and safety officials will discuss the numbers - how motor vehicle crashes cost employers 60 billion dollars every year in medical care, legal expenses, property damages, lost productivity and more. Overall, transportation crashes cost the country $170 billion a year. As transportation crashes continue to be the number one cause of on-the-job deaths, officials will discuss the tangible and intangible costs resulting from crashes, and what can and is being done to prevent them.

Location: The event will take place at the Jubitz Travel Center, 10350 N. Vancouver Way, Portland, OR, Exit 307 off Interstate 5. Turn in the car entrance — the event will be held in the ‘Mall’, enter through the Cascade Grill, 503-283-1111, ext. 5872

Time: May 5, 2010, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. with refreshments, on-site parking.

Speakers: Jubitz Corporation’s COO Mark Gram; May Trucking Company Senior Vice President David R. Jostad; ODOT’s Motor Carrier Division’s Investigation/Safety/Federal Programs Department Head David McKane; ASSE Columbia-Willamette Chapter President Lee Briney; ASSE Columbia-Willamette North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) Chair Dave Parsons; American Trucking Associations (ATA) and ‘Share the Road Professional Drivers’ with millions of accident free miles discuss safety tips, their road experiences and advice for motorists.

“These crashes are preventable,” American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) Columbia-Willamette Chapter President Lee Briney notes. “Roadway construction is up and the summer travel season is just around the corner. We must all do our part to prevent roadway crashes. Focusing on the road, not being distracted, not driving while drowsy and wearing seatbelts are just some of the things motorists can do. Many companies have developed and implemented successful driver safety programs that not only protect their employees, but also help their bottom line. Remember, you, or your family do not want to get that call and we don’t want to have to make it.”