Thanksgiving is this week in the U.S. It’s a time to be thankful and celebrate with family, friends, and neighbors. It’s a time to laugh and reminisce and fill ourselves with turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie.

When I was a child, my mom made a pumpkin pie, covered it in Saran Wrap, set it on the floor of the backseat of the car to take to a friend’s Thanksgiving gathering, and warned my sister and me not to step on it when we got in the car. It was inevitable something would happen to it- my sister stepped on it and left a boot imprint under the Saran Wrap. My mom took the pie to the gathering anyway, boot print and all. We still laugh about it to this day, and I’m thankful for the memory, especially now that my mom is no longer with us, and thankful for family with whom I can share the memory.

As we all reflect on what we’re thankful for this season, road safety deserves a place on that list. Every safe trip home, every prevented crash, every driver who feels supported and prepared—these are wins worth celebrating. And what makes road safety truly meaningful is that it isn’t passive. It’s something we build together through the choices we make, the standards we uphold, and the care we show for the people who turn the wheels of our organizations.

Fleet safety isn’t just a policy area or a compliance requirement—it’s a chance to protect lives in a very real and measurable way. Whether we’re improving training, maintaining vehicles more intentionally, analyzing data, or simply encouraging a culture of alertness and responsibility, each action creates a ripple effect. Those ripples can extend far beyond the workplace to families, communities, and future generations.

This season, let’s be grateful not only for the progress we’ve made, but also for the opportunity to continue making a difference. By staying engaged, informed, and committed to safety, we help ensure that more people arrive home safely every day.

And more than a pumpkin pie with a boot print, that is something truly worth giving thanks for.

Drive safely!

Susan Hipp

Executive Director

https://trafficsafety.org