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SAFETY<br />
TIPS<br />
SOFT SHOULDERS<br />
By Bob Hataway<br />
Have you ever been pushed off the highway<br />
onto soft shoulders?<br />
A driver was approaching Holbrook, NY<br />
on I-495 with a load going to Hunts Point.<br />
He loaded during the rain that morning and<br />
it continued to rain heavy sheets of water<br />
through mid-morning.<br />
It was not often that he would help out with<br />
local deliveries, but they were short handed<br />
and he thought, "Why not?"<br />
Traffic was terrible. The 4-wheelers were<br />
darting in and out of traffic trying to move<br />
up another spot. When to his surprise, they<br />
began hitting each other and blocking the<br />
interstate.<br />
He went to the inside median which was<br />
the only open route. The ground was soft<br />
from the rain. His steer axle sunk in the soft<br />
mud. The force of the trailer pushed his<br />
tractor down and it came over the top.<br />
He was not wearing his seat belt and was<br />
thrown to the passenger side of the tractor.<br />
As the cab went down in the mud, it was<br />
crushed by the trailer. He was trapped in the<br />
cab beneath the load.<br />
It took the "jaws of life" and 2 hours to cut<br />
him free. He was air lifted to the hospital and<br />
will not be returning to work soon.<br />
Alternatives for adverse weather conditions<br />
are:<br />
1. Speed is the first alternative. You can make a lot more adjustments at slower speeds.<br />
Speed reduces your options.<br />
2. Following distances must be adjusted when we are in adverse weather. At 55 mph, it<br />
takes 250' to stop under normal conditions. The distance doubles when the surface<br />
is wet.<br />
3. Develop the "long look" along with your “short look”. With your height above<br />
the traffic, practice the "long look" over traffic but include the "short look" for the<br />
immediate traffic near you.<br />
Bottom Line: When it is not your fault, don't be the one who loses.<br />
That's the way I see it - Bob Hataway - TransAlive.<br />
Bob Hataway heads up TransAlive USA, Inc., an organization dedicated to helping truckers<br />
when they have accidents away from home. More information is available by calling<br />
800-USA-HURT. www.transalive.com<br />
30 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com
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