Benicia Postal Carrier Drives Millionth Accident-Free Mile

BENICIA, CA — Imagine driving the equivalent of 334 times across the United States or 40 times around the Earth without ever leaving Benicia city limits or getting into a traffic collision.

Just ask U.S. Postal Service Carrier Lorna Lualhati, who recently drove her 1 millionth accident-free mile and was inducted Tuesday into the National Safety Council "Million Mile Club" at a ceremony held at the Benicia Post Office on East L Street.

"Safety is no accident," Lualhati said. "We need to be safety conscious at all times."

She has instilled this same focus with trainees over the past 30 years while serving as an on-the-job instructor to new employees.

Since joining the U.S. Postal Service in 1984, Lualhati has delivered through changing seasons and landscapes from Sherman Oaks, California to Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1999, Lualhati settled in Benicia where she has served for the past 14 years — all on the same route.

In a world of easy driver distractions, Lualhati has the calm, patient mindset and the level of focus and concentration that are necessary day in and day out, the U.S. Postal Service said in a news release.

Tuesday, Lualhati was 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 given to drivers who have accumulated one million miles or 30 years of driving without being involved in a single preventable motor vehicle accident, a truly remarkable achievement according to the National Safety Council, the USPS said.

"Our carriers deliver with safety as a priority," said USPS California-2 District Manager Mike Mirides. "The truly remarkable achievement by our Benicia Post Office carrier exemplifies how postal employees continue to deliver on the promise of delivering their best every day with care, courtesy and concern for the safety of others."