Goodyear Tire & Rubber will announce the winner of the 33rd Goodyear Highway Hero Award on March 31, at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.

Three finalists have been chosen for the award, which honors truck drivers who put themselves in harm’s way to help others.

Finalists for the award include a driver who rescued a fellow trucker who had been ejected from his rig; a driver who used his truck to protect an injured police officer from oncoming traffic, and a driver who pulled a motorist from a flame-engulfed car.

“The Goodyear Highway Hero Award is the oldest and most prestigious honor of its kind,” said Gary Medalis, marketing director, Goodyear. “Goodyear is proud to recognize truck drivers who risk their own well-being to save people from dangerous situations.”

The winner of the 33rd Goodyear Highway Hero award will receive a special ring, a cash award and a trophy. The other finalists will receive a cash prize and other items.

This year’s finalists are:

Mark Cavanagh of Hillsville, Va. Cavanagh was driving his truck through Pennsylvania when he saw another tractor-trailer drive off the road. That truck’s driver was ejected from the rig and was hanging from its mirror bracket by a belt. Cavanagh stopped his truck and cut the driver’s belt, pulled him from the damaged truck and helped him back to the road.

Dorian Cole, of Los Angeles, Calif. Cole was driving through Sylmar, Calif., when he saw a Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer collide with another motorcycle. The impact caused the officer to hit a concrete divider. Cole used his tanker truck to block several highway lanes to protect the injured officer from oncoming traffic until paramedics arrived.

Julian Kaczor, of Utica, N.Y. Kaczor was driving in Jacksonville, Fla., when a car passed him, nearly clipping his truck. The car crashed into a construction barrier and began to emit smoke. He ran to the car as it burst into flames, which he tried to extinguish. Kaczor eventually forced the driver’s side door open, pulled the injured driver out of the vehicle and dragged him to safety.

Trucking industry journalists are now evaluating the above finalists and will select the Goodyear Highway Hero Award recipient.

“We look forward to honoring our Goodyear Highway Hero Award finalists for their acts of bravery and naming this year’s Goodyear Highway Hero Award winner during MATS,” said Medalis.