NC truck driver earns 'Saved by the Belt' award for wearing seatbelt during crash on I-85

A North Carolina truck driver is being celebrated for prioritizing the safety of himself and others on the road.

While the move is a common precaution taken by drivers, it's especially important for people like Donald Maines, who drives one of the more advanced trucks on the road.

In August of 2021, Maines was driving on Interstate 85 in Greenville, South Carolina, when another tractor-trailer merged onto the interstate and collided with his truck.

Maines tightly gripped his steering wheel and held on, absorbing the impact of the crash. Maines said his seatbelt allowed him to maintain control of the truck.

“If I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt, I could have been thrown from my seat and lost control of my vehicle, which could have caused more vehicles to be involved, or even a fatality,” said Maines, who lives in Surry County.

Maines earned the North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program's (NCGHSP) August 'Saved by the Belt' award.

“Truckers, like Maines, worked tirelessly through the pandemic, often delivering critical goods and services,” said Mark Ezzell, NCGHSP director. “They’ve been going the extra mile nonstop, and we’re thrilled to honor one who has gone above and beyond in other ways to protect his fellow citizens by buckling his seatbelt and operating his vehicle as safely as possible.”