OT: Driving & Semis

[Leajess99]

Please be careful while driving especially you drive I-65 through Kentucky. On Saturday, a family driving back to Wisconsin from WDW was hit by a semi truck which killed 6 people and left 2 children in separate hospitals. 15 minutes later the Drummer for Kellie Pickler was also hit by a semi as they were driving in the opposite direction. The drummer is in surgery right now as a result.

Once again today was another accident within 13 miles of Saturday's accidents. It also involved 2 semis.

Please be alert and if necessary move out of their way. I know when I drive on I-65 there are many semi drivers that do not give themselves enough room to stop and do not seem to care about the cars around them. Please try to be as safe as possible.


Prayers for the family and friends of the family from Wisconsin, the drummer, and all others injured and involved in these accidents

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Thanks for the heads up. However now i am even more nervous. I couldn't figure out why I am so nervous about this particular road trip but I think it is because just as we were flying down to Florida on our first WDW vacation a family of 6 was killed on I-65 here in Indiana on their way to WDW and now more people killed on I-65 although Kentucky. We are leaving Friday and I hope that and pray that we make it safely.

 

[emjester1]

This family was from our neighboring community. It is a very small, close-knit area. My heart breaks for the loved ones.

We drove that same route this past August and actually stopped for the night in the same city where the accident happened. It hits way to close to home, and makes me rethink ,y extreme fear of flying. Safe travels to anyone making a road trip. Those semis can be scary.

 

[robinb]

I heard about the accident that took most of the Wisconsin family. How very, very sad! IIRC from the news story the semi driver appeared to have been distracted and rear-ended the WI family's SUV. There is NOTHING you can do to avoid such an accident. You can just hope that the semi drivers are properly trained and are alert and well rested.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Actually, there are things that can be done. I avoid having semis behind me or alongside me like the plague. And I'm always aware of where they are around me.

Many years ago, I was in heavy traffic in the rain when traffic suddenly stopped. I had left plenty of room to stop, but checked my mirror first. And in the mirror I spotted a jackknifed semi skidding in my direction. So, I took the shoulder and vacated the area that semi was about to occupy.

Best thing you can do us always leave yourself room to maneuver. The faster you go, the more space you need to leave in front of you. And if he person behind you isn't allowing enough space, the space you leave in front of you needs to be increased to compensate.

For example, if 100' is a safe distance at your speed, but the car behind you is only 50' back, you need to leave 150' in front of you. Even more if the vehicle following you is something big that doesn't stop on a dime.

You can't control everything, and even doing all the right things doesn't guarantee your safety 100 percent. But, a few defensive driving steps can go a long way toward helping - especially if you always assume everyone else on the road is NOT going to do the right thing.

 

[pyrxtc]

Actually, there are things that can be done. I avoid having semis behind me or alongside me like the plague. And I'm always aware of where they are around me.

Many years ago, I was in heavy traffic in the rain when traffic suddenly stopped. I had left plenty of room to stop, but checked my mirror first. And in the mirror I spotted a jackknifed semi skidding in my direction. So, I took the shoulder and vacated the area that semi was about to occupy.

Best thing you can do us always leave yourself room to maneuver. The faster you go, the more space you need to leave in front of you. And if he person behind you isn't allowing enough space, the space you leave in front of you needs to be increased to compensate.

For example, if 100' is a safe distance at your speed, but the car behind you is only 50' back, you need to leave 150' in front of you. Even more if the vehicle following you is something big that doesn't stop on a dime.

You can't control everything, and even doing all the right things doesn't guarantee your safety 100 percent. But, a few defensive driving steps can go a long way toward helping - especially if you always assume everyone else on the road is NOT going to do the right thing.

It's sound advice but not always possible to do. In Massachusetts, if you leave 100 or 150 ft between you and the car in front of you, then you have 18 cars in that space within minutes.

 

[marius97]

That was almost my family on our drive down last summer coming out of Nashville construction. It was one of those ones where trucks had to use the left lane. It was bumper to bumper as we headed into a tight curve at 60+ mph. I ended up on on the right lane with a bit of room in front of me and I was evidently in the blind spot of an 18 wheeler. He decided he wanted "his" lane back. My choices were: hit the broad side of the truck; swerve across the shoulder where there was a three foot ditch followed by a concrete retaining wall; or full on panic stop in on the shoulder where there was a big "end of construction" sign." I chose to eat the sign and by some miracle we stopped six inches before it. After that incident, we are much more cognizant about where we are in relationship to trucks. As we pull along one now, we hit the gas and speed by it as quick as possible.

 

[taymaesmom]

We got hit in downtown Atlanta 2 years ago coming home from Disney. There had been a horrible accident so traffic in both directions was backed way up. Traffic would go and then scream to a stop. We had a car cut in behind us just as traffic stopped and he hit us. Thankfully we weren't going fast but it was scary. Our car had almost no damage, just a scratch but his was totaled as he went under our car!

Unfortunately 2 days later I took the day off work to have the car looked at and got rearended again, it was alot of damage, practically took off my back bumper.

 

[java]

When we drove out to the middle of the country a few years ago I was floored at the size of the semi's! We live near a major road that has lots of 18 wheelers pulling through but dang those 36 wheel trucks amazed me. How can they see what's around them? Stay safe all.

 

[angwill]

Yep, you have to give those truckers plenty of room. The blind spots for them are huge and basically the entire trailer end and until you are right under their window on both sides. They also can not stop very quickly and the heavier the load the more room they need to make that stop. A lot of times it isn't necessarily the trucker but the cars around them not realizing where their blind spots are. Another supid move is when cars cut into that space in front of the truck that the truck drivers give themselves so they can stop and then slamming on their brakes. Be aware of those things and you will be safe.

I avoid driving near or behind them like the plague when on the highway. One year on our way back from WDW DH was driving behind one and a cap came off their tire and hit our car. He learned his lesson about driving behind one after that. If you look at the side of the road you can see they lose them all the time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the trucking industry has changed drastically in the last several years since the ecomomy got bad and fuel got so expensive. The pay for loads and drivers has barely increased where the cost of fuel and repairs and parts for the trucks have gone through the roof. The big companies are having to hire a lot of new drivers who might not be as aware of things as you might expect them to be.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

It's sound advice but not always possible to do. In Massachusetts, if you leave 100 or 150 ft between you and the car in front of you, then you have 18 cars in that space within minutes.

That happens anywhere with heavy traffic. There are two ways to protect yourself in these conditions - leave more space or slow down.

 

[ManyMinnie]

That happens anywhere with heavy traffic. There are two ways to protect yourself in these conditions - leave more space or slow down.

I think her point was as soon as you leave more space between you and the vehicle in front of you, someone pulls in front of you, taking up the space you just made.

 

[okeydokey]

I think her point was as soon as you leave more space between you and the vehicle in front of you, someone pulls in front of you, taking up the space you just made.

Exactly. You have little control about how much space you leave in front or behind you.

We used to like to drive at night for vacations. There is lots less traffic but more huge trucks. We saw some very scary stuff and had some close calls with big trucks.

 

[dreamer03]

Yep, you have to give those truckers plenty of room. The blind spots for them are huge and basically the entire trailer end and until you are right under their window on both sides. They also can not stop very quickly and the heavier the load the more room they need to make that stop. A lot of times it isn't necessarily the trucker but the cars around them not realizing where their blind spots are. Another supid move is when cars cut into that space in front of the truck that the truck drivers give themselves so they can stop and then slamming on their brakes. Be aware of those things and you will be safe.

I avoid driving near or behind them like the plague when on the highway. One year on our way back from WDW DH was driving behind one and a cap came off their tire and hit our car. He learned his lesson about driving behind one after that. If you look at the side of the road you can see they lose them all the time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the trucking industry has changed drastically in the last several years since the ecomomy got bad and fuel got so expensive. The pay for loads and drivers has barely increased where the cost of fuel and repairs and parts for the trucks have gone through the roof. The big companies are having to hire a lot of new drivers who might not be as aware of things as you might expect them to be.

Thank you for sticking up for the truck drivers out there. My husband is a driver and risks his life everyday to provide for his family. I understand that some accidents involving trucks are the truck drivers fault and I do agree that they are not being trained as well as they have in the past but people driving "normal" vehicles do not show them the respect that they need to do their job appropriately. Even though he is a safe driver, I never know if he will be get home safely. When a driver is hauling 40,000 pounds up a hill very slowly, he is not going to come down that hill slowly. People forget that and cut them off. They are out there working for the public to deliver the products they want and they still get a bad wrap. The truck driver carries alot of weight on his or her shoulders and people still think of the as just dumb. Thankfully their are driving companies requiring all of their drivers to take the Smith System driving class. This class takes the driver through real life situations and makes them get out of it. I think that all drivers not just drivers of semis should take this class. If they fail the class, they dont drive. I think this class should be offered with drivers education as well. People are getting busier and not paying as close attention as they should to the important things. Driving is a privilege not a right and many have forgotten that.

I am very sorry for the people that have been injured by a semi truck and my heart goes out to the families but please dont be so quick to judge the semi driver as he or she could have not been the one at fault. They have to live with that memory the rest of their lives.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Drivers education doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be. My hubby is firefighter and my biggest fear is that he will be hit responding to a call. People aren't taught to move out the way anymore they are being taught to stop right where they are. People also seems far more aggressive than before. Defensive driving means you understand that people are not going to do what you expect them to. Aggressive driving means that you expect everybody around you to do exactly as you expect. Too trusting if you ask
Me. Chicagoans are terrible for trusting that they can do things like cut across 3 lanes of traffic and expecting nobody else to move or make a similar decision.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[scrapquitler]

I think her point was as soon as you leave more space between you and the vehicle in front of you, someone pulls in front of you, taking up the space you just made.

Here in the congested North East, this is just a fact. Anytime you try to leave the proper stopping space between you and another vehicle, someone else will pull into the space, or several someone elses. There's just too much traffic (all the time) to leave that much space around your vehicle. If I slow down, someone will pass me and pull in. Fact of life. And if you slow down, you're going to have people honking their horn and giving you the one finger salute while they pull in front of you.

 

[Planogirl]

Thank you for sticking up for the truck drivers out there. My husband is a driver and risks his life everyday to provide for his family. I understand that some accidents involving trucks are the truck drivers fault and I do agree that they are not being trained as well as they have in the past but people driving "normal" vehicles do not show them the respect that they need to do their job appropriately. Even though he is a safe driver, I never know if he will be get home safely. When a driver is hauling 40,000 pounds up a hill very slowly, he is not going to come down that hill slowly. People forget that and cut them off. They are out there working for the public to deliver the products they want and they still get a bad wrap. The truck driver carries alot of weight on his or her shoulders and people still think of the as just dumb. Thankfully their are driving companies requiring all of their drivers to take the Smith System driving class. This class takes the driver through real life situations and makes them get out of it. I think that all drivers not just drivers of semis should take this class. If they fail the class, they dont drive. I think this class should be offered with drivers education as well. People are getting busier and not paying as close attention as they should to the important things. Driving is a privilege not a right and many have forgotten that.

I am very sorry for the people that have been injured by a semi truck and my heart goes out to the families but please dont be so quick to judge the semi driver as he or she could have not been the one at fault. They have to live with that memory the rest of their lives.

I see cars pulling out in front of the trucks all the time. Most of them allow plenty of room but of course cars pull into that space.

I know that it's difficult for the truck drivers. I make it a point to allow one into traffic if I see a truck being cut off by traffic.

My sympathies go out to those affected by these horrible accidents.

 

[robinb]

I am very sorry for the people that have been injured by a semi truck and my heart goes out to the families but please dont be so quick to judge the semi driver as he or she could have not been the one at fault. They have to live with that memory the rest of their lives.

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/vi...Company-fatal-Ky-crash-had-17-tickets-2-years

A tractor-trailer owned by the company and driven by 47-year-old Ibrahim Fetic of Troy, Mich., struck the Ford Expedition traveling north on Interstate 65 at about midday Saturday near Glendale, Ky., about 50 miles south of Louisville.
{snip}
Kentucky State Police Master Trooper Norman Chaffins said Fetic was following the SUV too closely, but no charges had been filed as of Monday. Chaffins said the case will be turned over to prosecutors to decide if anyone should be charged.

 

[angwill]

Here in the congested North East, this is just a fact. Anytime you try to leave the proper stopping space between you and another vehicle, someone else will pull into the space, or several someone elses. There's just too much traffic (all the time) to leave that much space around your vehicle. If I slow down, someone will pass me and pull in. Fact of life. And if you slow down, you're going to have people honking their horn and giving you the one finger salute while they pull in front of you.

I grew up in Chicago and know what you mean but I do know better than to cut off a semi truck or get in his extra space. That is what is important and if the people around me don't like it they can get themselves as uptight as they please I will do the safe thing despite their issues.

 

[angwill]

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/vi...Company-fatal-Ky-crash-had-17-tickets-2-years

That is an awful accident that the family died in. However, a ticket for following too closely is going to be given to anyone in any vehicle that hits someone from behind. It doesn't mean the trucker was at fault and that is why there are no charges. The SUV could still have cut off the semi driver and that is what will need to be investigated through witnesses and such.

As for their record of tickets and safety inspections that is not a bad record. You have to remember the tickets are on 30 trucks with probably as many drivers and spread between them 17 tickets is not unusual. These are trucks that are on the road for about 10 hours a day each as well. As for inspections the inspection stations keep in business by finding things that are wrong with trucks and tailers and writing fines for them so they will find things to keep getting paid. Most things are as simple as a small adjustment to the breaks and such. That is why the article says their record is lower than most companies. A certain number of tickets and safty inspection tickets are not unusual.

Till they investigate this it appears there is not answer as to what happened and who was at fault.