VERONA - Because of the hospitality and convenient facilities, the 40th annual Mississippi Truck Driving Competition made its fifth consecutive visit to the Lee County Agri-Center on Saturday.

Nearly 90 truckers participated in the event in hopes of winning the Mississippi competition so they could compete in the nationals later this year in Columbus, Ohio. Put on by the Mississippi Trucking Association and Mississippi Safety Management Council, the competition is for those drivers who've gone a full year without a single accident. The results and winner will be announced Monday.

Truckers can possibly drive up to 144,000 miles a year and to do so without an accident is amazing, said competition spokesman Ron Ward.

Dedicated to safety

"This competition is proof that truck drivers are dedicated to the safety of the public," said Ward. "These guys are able to compete here today because they've done their jobs on the highways. To go a full year with no accident you have to be dedicated to your job, but most importantly to safety."

To say Don Nehring has had a safe trucking career is an understatement. Nehring is the Mississippi Driver of the Year. He has gone his whole 35-year career without having an accident. The Southaven resident said his clean driving record can be attributed to good training from good teachers.

Nehring has been competing since 1999 and has won state twice and gone to compete in nationals where he placed third in the double trailers in 2004.

"I love coming here to compete in the trucking competition because it allows us to apply what we've learned on the road and measure it against other drivers," he said. "I like coming here and meeting other drivers and just talking with them."

Contact Danza Johnson at (662) 678-1583 or danza.johnson@djournal.com.