Goodyear is now accepting nominations for its 2012 North America Highway Hero Award through Jan. 31, 2013 at www.goodyeartrucktires.com.

The award honors truck drivers who put themselves in harm's way to help other people. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash award, a custom Goodyear Highway Hero ring and other prizes. The person who nominates the winning Highway Hero will receive a $1,000 cash award.

Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Goodyear Highway Hero Award, which was created to elevate the image of professional truck drivers.

Last year's Highway Hero winner, Mike Schiotis, a truck driver from Spring Hill, Tenn., rescued a woman from a crazed, gun-wielding attacker.

"The Goodyear Highway Hero Award is the first - and most prestigious - award of its kind," said Phillip Kane, vice president of Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems. "The 30th anniversary of the award will be extra special, and we look forward to crowning an equally special winner."

Past Highway Hero winners include a driver who pulled an elderly man from a car before it was destroyed by an oncoming train, a driver who rescued two girls who were trapped in a burning car, and a driver who jumped into a pond to save a child who was stuck in a rapidly sinking car.

To nominate a candidate for Goodyear's 30th North America Highway Hero Award, go to www.goodyeartrucktires.com., click on the Highway Hero button, fill out the online form and send your nomination directly to Goodyear.

For consideration, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Nominee must be a full-time truck driver.
- Nominee must reside in the U.S. or Canada.
- The incident must have occurred in the U.S. or Canada.
- The nominee must have been on the job - or on the way to and from work - and in his or her rig at the time of the incident.
- At the time of the incident, the nominee's truck must have had 12 or more wheels.
- The incident must have taken place between Nov. 16, 2011, and Dec. 15, 2012, to qualify.

After the nomination period ends, the list of Highway Hero candidates will be pared down to four finalists. A panel of trucking industry judges will then select the 30th Goodyear North America Highway Hero, who will be revealed in March 2013 during the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.

Related Stories:

3/23/2012 Trucker Who Rescued Woman From Gunman is 2011 Goodyear Highway Hero

All That's Trucking Blog: 11/14/2011 Trucker saves woman from murderous ex-boyfriend