Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Goodyear Names Highway Hero Finalists for 2019

Goodyear Tire and Rubber has announced this year’s finalists for the Goodyear Highway Hero Award, honoring truck drivers who put themselves in harm’s way to help others.

March 4, 2019
Goodyear Names Highway Hero Finalists for 2019

The Goodyear Highway Hero Award honors truck drivers who put themselves in harm’s way to help others.

Photo courtesy Goodyear Tire and Rubber

2 min to read


Goodyear Tire and Rubber has announced this year’s finalists for the Goodyear Highway Hero Award, honoring truck drivers who put themselves in harm’s way to help others.

“Since it was established in 1983, the Goodyear Highway Hero Award has recognized truck drivers who demonstrate extraordinary bravery and selflessness,” said Gary Medalis, marketing director, Goodyear. “We look forward to honoring this year’s Highway Hero Award finalists, each of whom took decisive action to save lives.”

Ad Loading...

Here are this year’s Goodyear Highway Hero Award finalists and their stories:

Darrell Atkins, from Alvaredo, Texas. Atkins was driving down an Arizona interstate when he witnessed a vehicle containing an elderly couple get struck from behind, flip over and come to a stop on a grassy median. Atkins worked with a bystander to extract the driver, who was hanging upside down by her seatbelt. Even as gasoline began to leak, Atkins continued to remove her husband and the couple’s three dogs from the car and remained with them until emergency crews arrived.

Don Frederick, from Kimbolton, Ohio. Frederick was driving down a state highway in Ohio when he witnessed a coal truck flip onto its side while making a turn. Frederick removed the damaged truck’s back window, reached into the vehicle and applied direct pressure to the wounded driver, who was bleeding heavily and trapped by the truck’s steering wheel. As the truck began to emit smoke, Frederick freed the driver’s legs and worked with a bystander to help the driver exit the truck. Frederick continued to render first aid until emergency crews arrived.

Ad Loading...

Paul Mathias, from Phoenix, Ariz.  Mathias had just stopped his truck at a red light in Phoenix when he saw a vehicle slam into an SUV that contained a mother and her two children. Mathias instructed the mother to perform CPR on her son and comforted the daughter as she passed away due to her injuries. Mathias then returned to the boy and proceeded to administer CPR to him until emergency crews arrived and took over. The boy survived.

Trucking industry journalists will select Goodyear’s newest Highway Hero, who will be named on March 28 during a special event at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

Each Highway Hero Award finalist will receive a congratulatory trophy and other items. The winner of the Goodyear Highway Hero Award also will receive a special ring and a cash award.

More Drivers

Photo illustration combining laboratory sample tubes, marijuana, pills, white powder, and a syringe above a highway with tractor-trailers.
Safety & Compliance•by Deborah Lockridge•November 2, 2026

FDA Eases Path for Oral-Fluid Testing

Federal actions could advance oral-fluid drug testing for truck drivers, but lab certification delays and marijuana rescheduling questions remain.

Read More →
Truck driver in a blue-tinted cab beside a hand holding cash, with the headline “Competing for Drivers.”
Drivers•by Deborah Lockridge•October 29, 2026

Why Hiring Truck Drivers Is Getting Harder

Higher recruiting costs, a shrinking driver pool, and renewed pay competition are raising the stakes for fleets heading into 2027.

Read More →
Two red heavy-duty Class 8 trucks with Roehl branding
Drivers•by News/Media Release•October 27, 2026

Roehl Offers Truck Drivers $10,000 Retention Incentive

Payments begin after the first load and continue in mileage-based installments for eligible experienced drivers joining the fleet.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
PS Coach tablet interface showing a driver’s coaching inbox, safety event video and coaching advice for a harsh-braking event.
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 21, 2026

Platform Science Adds Dispatch and Safety Tools

Four additions to PS Fleet help fleets monitor loads, manage driver coaching, share truck locations and adjust video system settings.

Read More →
Man with police badge on his arm by an open commercial truck door examining paperwork
Safety & Compliance•October 15, 2026

When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders

English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.

Read More →
Illustration of silver robot waving his hand and a Samsara AI prompt on screen to call drivers
Fleet Management•by Staff•October 13, 2026

Samsara Launches Custom AI Agent Builder

Agent Studio lets fleets create AI tools for hours-of-service monitoring, reporting and driver support, including agents that communicate by phone.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of trucks parked in lot with Trucker Path app on phone screen superimposed on top
Drivers•by News/Media Release•October 6, 2026

Trucker Path Expands Reserved Parking Network

Trucker Path has added close to 6,000 more truck parking spaces to its Trucker Path Reserved Parking Network with the addition of Safe Truck Parking.

Read More →
photo of older driver standing with arms crossed with truck in the background, with a photo illustrating equal opportunity law inset upper left.
Drivers•by Staff•September 28, 2026

EEOC Sues Texas Trucking Company Over Driver Age Limits

The agency says Trancasa USA rejected applicants over 65 and applied tougher driving-record standards to those over 60.

Read More →
Red Nussbaum Class 8 tractor pulling white and red trailer with aero fairings and skirts
Drivers•by Staff•September 23, 2026

Nussbaum, Roehl Announce Second Driver Pay Increase This Year

This year has seen a swath of major truck driver pay increases as freight capacity has tightened.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of smiling truck driver Harold Perry with arms crossed in front of Southeastern Freight Lines truck
Drivers•September 17, 2026

From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers

After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.

Read More →