
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 7, 1991                   TAG: 9103070386
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BRISTOL                                LENGTH: Short

BRISTOL TRANSPORTATION WORKERS WIN AWARD

Employees at the Virginia Department of Transportation's Bristol District, covering most of Southwest Virginia, have received the agency's annual motor vehicle safety award for the state's best-driving record in the 1989-90 fiscal year.

"The district's vehicle and equipment operators drove 11.5 million miles from July 1989 through June 1990, with an average of only two driver-error accidents per 1 million miles," said C. Wayne Varga, the agency's safety engineer manager.

Bristol District Administrator Jack L. Corley said several factors were responsible.

"We have a comprehensive safety program which includes defensive driving training, operator certification requirements, skills competitions and regular safety meetings," he said. "But, most importantly, it took a continual effort from each driver in the district."

Most of the department's 1,250 Southwest Virginia employees regularly operate motor vehicles in their jobs. The district covers the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Grayson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Tazewell, Smyth, Washington, Wise and Wythe.

- Southwest bureau

by CNB