An Adelaide truck driver has been awarded as a highway guardian for helping to save the life of a fellow driver on an SA road
The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) says Adelaide truck driver James Rundle has been recognised as a Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian in its weekly newsletter.
Rundle has been awarded the gong after coming to the aid of a driver whose vehicle had rolled off the side of a road and down a steep embankment in South Australia.
The Musico Refrigerated Transport driver was enroute to deliver eggs when he came across suspicious tyre marks on the highway.
After initially thinking it was a past incident, Rundle doubled back to the scene to reinvestigate and discovered a driver trapped in their rolled-over vehicle which was down the embankment.
The ATA says Rundle alerted emergency services and administered first aid to the crash victim, waiting alongside them until they were taken to hospital.
The driver had been trapped for several hours when they were found, and Rundle’s actions saved their life.
Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand managing director Heath Barclay says Rundle’s gut instinct to go back and investigate further was invaluable.
“James Rundle is a credit to the Australian trucking industry, and the roads would be a much safer place if there were more people like him,” Barclay says.
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ATA Chair David Smith joined Bridgestone and Bandag in congratulating Rundle on his milestone accolade.
“The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian is one of the highest honours in our industry, and we’re delighted to award the title to James Rundle,” Smith says.
“There are thousands of individuals in our industry, and he joins a very elite group of only 24 others with the title.”
The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian accolade is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Australian Trucking Association. If you know a member of the industry who warrants the title, nominate them!