The Australian Trucking Association and Continental Tyres Australia are proud to announce their new award for trucking bravery will be called the Highway Guardian Award.

The ATA and Continental Tyres held a competition to name the award. The winning entry was lodged by Anthony Harle, who will receive a set of Continental tyres for his car or ute.

The ATA and Continental created the new award to acknowledge acts of bravery by Australian truck drivers. It will be presented as part of the National Trucking Industry Awards at the Australian Trucking Convention, which will be held at the National Convention Centre, Canberra, from 25-28 May.

“The Highway Guardian Award, as it has now been named, will be a great opportunity for the general public and the driving industry to pay tribute to drivers who go above and beyond the call of duty on the road,” the Chairman of the ATA, David Simon said.

The National Sales Manager Truck Tyres for Continental Tyres Australia, Roy Norris, said “the Highway Guardian Award reflects the very best qualities of Australia’s truck drivers – the willingness to step out of the cab and save lives, whether it’s at the scene of a road accident or a natural disaster.

“Continental Tyres Australia is proud to be involved with this new award,” Mr Norris said.

To qualify for consideration, nominees must be:

• full-time professional employee drivers, or truck owner/operators, currently working as a local, medium or long distance driver in Australia.

• doing their job at the time of the incident which is the subject of the nomination.

The award winner will receive $5,000 in cash from Continental Tyres Australia, as well as the lasting thanks of the trucking industry and the community.