But because of his actions at a crash last year, he helped save a woman’s life.
The McColl’s Transport driver was on a routine delivery run to Brisbane in mid-October last year when he came across a man laying by the side of the road outside of Warwick.
Mr Hood stopped to assist the man, who had lost control of his vehicle, ending up over an embankment injuring both himself and his passenger.
First up Mr Hood immediately alerted emergency services and then tended to the man’s girlfriend, who was still trapped in the vehicle.
He said that started with applying pressure to a severe laceration on her leg in a bid to prevent blood loss before the ambulance arrived and she was subsequently airlifted to hospital.
Because of this, Mr Hood has been named as the fourth recipient for 2018 of the Australian Trucking Association’s (ATA) Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian honour.
Emergency services praised Mr Hood’s efforts and believe the accident would have been a fatality without his intervention.
Mr Hood was nominated for the Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian Award by McColl’s Transport national work health and safety manager Joe Boras, describing him as a model team member.
‘‘Brett is an asset to our company. Our work requires flexibility of us all due to changes in customers’ requirements that occur in the dairy industry, but Brett is one of those drivers who is happy to do any job any time,’’ Mr Boras said.
ATA chairman Geoff Crouch said Mr Hood’s actions were well beyond the call of duty.
‘‘Brett displayed all the characteristics of a true hero. He was selfless in the way he came to the aid of the couple and saved the life of this woman,’’ Mr Crouch said.
‘‘There is no doubt he deserves the title of Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian.
‘‘It is stories like Mr Hood’s that demonstrate the importance of first aid training and is another example of how the Australian trucking industry steps up in times of need.’’
Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand managing director, Stephen Roche, echoed Mr Crouch’s thoughts.
‘‘We take great pride...in recognising incredible people such as Brett Hood,’’ Mr Roche said.
‘‘The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian award is our way of recognising his prompt, lifesaving actions,’’ he added.
‘‘Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardians are a true asset to the trucking community and deserve to be praised for the way they respond to adversity.’’
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