Semi-Truck Driver Almost Causes Deadly Crash
On Monday afternoon a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper had his vehicle stopped on the side of highway 13 in Polk country when a semitrailer sideswiped his vehicle.
The trooper was issuing a driver for a traffic violation. Seconds after getting back into his patrol car after the stop the semitrailer sideswiped the patrol car, causing extensive damage to the patrol car, but not injuring the trooper luckily. The semi-truck driver was cited for careless and imprudent driving.
Was the truck driver drowsy because his company forced him to drive too many hours over his limit? Was he distracted, maybe using his phone which is against the law, because his company does not train him properly or fails to enforce the rules? Or, is he just a bad driver, and his company should get him out of the truck driving line of work?
Either way, I always try to look on the bright side of things: no one was hurt or killed.
This was a catastrophe waiting to happen and everyone got *very* luck, thank goodness!
So, what’s the lesson here?
- Trucking companies need to focus on better hiring, training and supervision of their drivers, since everyone, you, me, our families, and our hard working troopers are at risk of this unsafe behavior;
- See a car on the shoulder ahead? *pull over and slow down*! If you cannot pull over due to traffic, slow down; watch far ahead so you are not caught by surprise; give anyone on the shoulder room; the lanes are 12’ wide, a truck is under 8’ wide, and most cars are only 6’ to 7’ wide, so do the math: there’s plenty of room if you use proper, safe care.
These Semi-Truck Crashes are Completely, 100%, Foreseeable and Preventable.
Please, if you want to put trial attorneys like me out of business, be more careful out there, all the time, and guess what, you’ll help save lives, what a great thing !!