Federal, state, provincial, and local officers will be conducting North American Standard Inspections (Level I)  involving a comprehensive 37-step procedure related to vehicle, driver and cargo safety and security.

• Always wear your seat belt
• Keep your log current
• Have your CDL
• Have your Fed Med Cert
• Maintain a positive and professional attitude 

Also, make sure: 

• A copy of Star Freight's Insurance Certificate is in the vehicle
•  Your permit book is current and up-to-date
•  The tractor's fire extinguisher is charged and secure
• The tractor is equipped with the required emergency equipment 
• All equipment has proof of annual inspection

Khalid Eddington takes safety seriously. He always has, and, from the sound of it, he always will. That's very likely why "I've never been in an accident -- ever," he says.

Two mnemonic devices and a good habit have helped him keep his clean record. He used to share all three with new drivers when he worked as a trainer.

The first? "All Good Kids Love Milk," he said.  

Translated into road safety language, that stands for: 

• Aim high in steering 
• Get the big picture
• Keep your eyes moving
• Leave yourself an out
• Maintain your distance

"Those are the things that keep me out of trouble," he said. "When you drive, aim high, look around ... look ahead, look way ahead, because seeing the big picture allows you to maneuver if anything occurs."

SMOG, Khalid explained, applies to lane changes -- Signal, check your Mirrors, Look over your shoulder and then Go.

"Those two concepts make me a safe driver," Khalid said, and they've worked for him for the 11-plus years he's been driving. A life changing event made him realize he needed a good-paying job, and the fact that his father was a truck driver showed him that truck driving was a good option.  

He trained as a truck driver in the Job Corps program in Morgansville, Ky., which is where he learned about Milk and SMOG, he said.

And his other piece of advice for drivers? Be serious about pre-inspections and quarterly maintenance. Both, he said, could mean the difference between such things as having a blowout or avoiding one.