Avoiding Big Trucks on the Highway: A Personal Reflection
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Chapter 1: The Dangers of Driving Near Large Trucks
While scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon a shocking video of a truck driver dozing off while driving an 18-wheeler down a Florida highway. Just moments after nodding off, he crashed into two vehicles that were stopped on the side of the road due to a tire change. Thankfully, no one was seriously harmed, but the cars were completely wrecked.
I always keep a vigilant eye on large trucks when I’m on the road. I prefer to steer clear of them entirely, whether they’re beside me or behind me. However, on highways bustling with big rigs, it can be quite a challenge to avoid them altogether.
Whenever it's necessary to pull over to the shoulder, I ensure to activate my hazard lights and, if possible, exit the vehicle to distance myself from it. If that isn’t feasible, I go into a state of prayer and hope for assistance as quickly as possible. Statistics reveal that over 500 individuals lose their lives each year, and more than 14,000 sustain injuries in accidents involving stationary vehicles.
Section 1.1: A Personal Near-Miss
My son experienced a similar scare while driving in Ft. Lauderdale with friends. After a flat tire forced them to pull over, he recalled advice from a morning show encouraging people to vacate their vehicles when stranded. They heeded this advice and quickly moved away, and just moments later, another car crashed into theirs!
Here is the footage of that careless truck driver from a few days ago, as he fell asleep and collided with those cars on I-4. He even attempted to deceive the authorities by claiming that a tire blowout caused the accident.
Section 1.2: The Consequences of Negligence
It’s incomprehensible how someone could act so recklessly. I fully expect that he and his trucking company will face serious repercussions. He should be terminated and potentially charged, as he had to have been aware of his fatigue long before the incident occurred.
The CDC warns that commercial truck drivers are at a heightened risk of dozing off due to insufficient rest. There is innovative technology available, known as ELD (electronic logging device), that can monitor whether a driver’s eyes close or if they drift out of their lane. Unfortunately, many companies hesitate to invest in such technology.
Ultimately, it's crucial for trucking firms to enforce strict rest regulations for their drivers, though monitoring them around the clock is impractical. The responsibility ultimately lies with the drivers to remain alert. In my view, dozing off at the wheel poses a greater danger than driving under the influence.
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