GARDEN GROVE, CA – For most drivers, luck would play a role in driving accident free for 30 years.  However, 14 Garden Grove city letter carriers will be the first to tell you it’s not a matter of luck; it’s a matter of taking the time to drive safely no matter how much of a hurry other people are in.

Now imagine the equivalent of driving 40 times around the globe each without ever leaving the city limits, and imagine doing it safely, under hazardous road conditions, gridlock, rural terrain, and with a vigilant eye on inattentive drivers.

As a result of their achievement, these carriers will be honored at a Million Mile Club awards ceremony on Thursday, August 22, 2019, 9:00 a.m., at the Garden Grove Main Office, 10441 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92842.

Honorees include:  Jacqueline Aguilar, Hung Banh, Allan Carter, Richard Espinoza, Edward Kirkland Jr., Rithyrong Lay, Mary Mathews, Steven Neely, Canh Nguyen, Randall Regalado, Louie Trujillo, Hung Truong, Leonard Williams, and Guy Wright.

What makes the million-mile achievement so astonishing is the fact that all the drivers never had as much as a fender-bender or a single preventable accident in over 30 years of driving.

“Postal drivers are among the safest in the world,” said Santa Ana District Manager Eduardo Ruiz Jr. “The remarkable achievement by our Garden Grove Post Office mail carriers demonstrates how postal employees continue to deliver on the promise of delivering their best every day with care, courtesy and the concern for the safety of others.”

Each driver will be presented with a plaque from the Safety Council and automatic membership in the prestigious National Safety Council “Million Mile Club.” The million-mile award is a lifetime enrollment, and it is given to drivers who have accumulated one-million miles or 30 years of driving without being involved in a preventable motor vehicle accident.  According to the National Safety Council, it takes approximately 30 years to accumulate one-million miles.

A common denominator, or trait, that the drivers share is defensive driving. They attribute their accident-free driving to being constantly alert for dangers, anticipating the actions of other drivers, paying attention to their surroundings, looking ahead, checking mirrors, following the rules of the road, and giving themselves enough time to react in a safe manner. 

MEDIA ALERT: For photo and interview opportunities, contact Evelina Ramirez at 510-671-4934.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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