TxDOT salutes its safe drivers, awards presented to local honorees

Nobody knows how many miles Jerry McGuairt has driven during his 44-year career with the Texas Department of Transportation - probably about a million.

What everybody does know, though, is that the Fort Stockton Area construction manager has never had an accident in all those miles.

But some Odessa employees have piled up pretty impressive driving records of their own.

Rick Hopkins has 32 years without an accident, Kenny Mikesell has 30, and David Gonzales has 29 years of safe driving. Robert Martinez has 28.

Those four, along with McGuairt, were among 65 TxDOT employees singled out for significant "milestone" awards for their accident-free driving records at the Odessa District annual safety gathering April 24 at the Reeves County Civic Center in Pecos.

Milestone awards were presented to employees who have 5-year, 10-year, 15-year, 20-year and 25-years or more of driving without an accident, according to Glen W. Larum, the agency's public information officer.

Nearly 200 other employees from throughout the district's 12-county region were cited for their safe driving records at the gathering, where an occupational safety specialist from TxDOT's Austin headquarters stressed the importance of extending good safety practices beyond the workplace.

Jerral Wyer told his audience. "Everyday, somewhere, there is a story where a life is lost as a result of not following safe practices - either at home or work.

"We strive to develop and maintain a culture where our employees take time to plan their daily jobs, communicate with their co-workers, and follow through with the safest way to perform each job," Wyer said.

"At TxDOT, this process has resulted in reducing on-the-job injuries during the last 18 years by 75 percent," he added. "You take safety seriously on the job. Take it home, too."

Other area employees who received milestone awards included: Jack Lambert and Bobby Meroney, 27 years; Homer Flores and District Engineer Mike McAnally, 26 years; Nolberto Aguirre, John Paul Cooper, Arthur Waguespack and Mark McCollum, 25 years; Matt Carr, 20 years; David Alvarez, K.C. Evans, James Kindred and Glen Larum, 15 years; Scott Benavidez, Joel Ponce, Chad Windham, Robert Ornelas, Freddie Avila, Jared Basurto, Debbie Hensley, and Kevin Barnhart, 10 years.