Heroic truck driver George Athanasiou was honoured on July 4 with the prestigious Australian Trucking Association (ATA) Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian award, for his selfless actions at a crash site last year.
On a run to the Mornington Peninsula in November last year George, an Australian Personnel Solutions (APS) contractor driving for Americold, came across the site of a crash between a car and tow truck.
George Athanasiou parked his truck up to protect the victims of the accident, including a severely injured tow truck driver, blocking traffic and assisting where possible.
The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian accolade was presented to George at Americold’s Laverton depot by Bridgestone National Commercial Manager Geoff May and ATA Chairman Geoff Crouch.
Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Andrew Moffatt has praised George for his quick thinking and selfless actions on the day.
“We are pleased to recognise George Athanasiou as a Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian. It takes a certain type of person to lend assistance at a major accident site and Mr Athanasiou did so with such composure,” Moffatt said.
“Mr Athanasiou joins an elite chapter of Australian trucking professionals who have been acknowledged for going above and beyond to aid those in need, despite what must be confronting scenes.”
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APS Victorian State Manager Sarah Russell explained that George has become highly regarded by the business and its customers over the past two and a half years.
“George is one of the most loyal and hardworking employees we have. He is extremely versatile, and has demonstrated this by working across multiple areas of the business including driving, loading, yard and allocation roles. He is a great asset to our business,” Russell said.
Australian Trucking Association Chairman Geoff Crouch extended his admiration for George’s actions and acknowledged his spotless driving record across two decades.
“The Australian trucking industry is lucky to have members like George Athanasiou. He has more than 20 years’ experience behind the wheel with a spotless driving record, and the ATA is proud to recognise his efforts with the Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian Award,” Crouch said.
“This award not only recognises incredible individuals in our industry, but also highlights the dangers on our roads and the need for support systems for our truck drivers.”