Trucking Safety

BACKGROUND: A truck driver was hauling a load of wood chips to a local paper mill. It was a clear winter evening in the Appalachian Region. Weather conditions were not a contributing factor.

TICS: The accident victim had less than one year of experience as a truck driver. The driver preferred to travel at night and had authorization for late shift transport.

ACCIDENT: The truck was traveling north on a four-lane highway separated by a grass median. The posted speed limit was 55 MPH. The driver entered a slight left curve, and upon exiting the

curve, drove off the road striking the guardrail in the process. The cab and trailer rolled over onto its right side. The entire rig slid down the grassy shoulder of the highway and eventually came to a stop while still on its side. There were no witnesses to the crash. A passing motorist discovered the accident scene and called 911. The accident investigators estimated the driver’s speed was 75 MPH when the truck left the road.

INJURY: The driver was ejected from the cab during the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene by EMT personnel. It was determined during the accident investigation that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt.

l The driver’s speed was estimated to be 20 MPH over the posted speed limit l The driver was not wearing a seatbelt

l Always abide by posted speed limits l Always wear a seatbelt when traveling in a moving vehicle