Death of a co-worker. Does it still bother you?

Sorry for your loss. We have had some drivers pass on us. I didn't know any of them personally, but it is still sad. I have had close co-workers pass in other industries, and it was hard. My wife lost a close friend that we both knew and it was not easy, and is does get easier but you never forget them.

 

talk about it, search help if you need too. good luck.

i ehh well they say i have PTSS or PSTS and i wil not drive trucks anymore.

 

You are right. You are human, and have emotions. There is nothing wrong with getting nervous when you near the area, or feeling sad when you think of your fellow driver. All of that is perfectly normal. It will take time for these emotions to get easier, and they will never completely go away.
Do this. When you get feeling sad about it, or near the scene, talk to yourself. I mean out loud. Say how you feel, what is bothering you. But speak it. Do not keep it inside of you, say it out loud, not just think it.Or, talk to someone else about your feelings.Hear yourself say it.TELL THE STORY OUT LOUD. Clergy are good people to talk to.This advice was given to me by a head shrink, after I had terrible memories from being a fireman.
It will get better with time. But, perhaps there is another voice deep down wanting you to make a change. Just get it out in the open, the sooner the better.

 

Death is a part of life. Eventually it happens to everybody. Don't let fear of death keeping you from doing what you love to do...because you'll never get out of this world alive.

 

I am a third generation truck driver. If you are around any job long enough you will be exposed to a loss. It is unfortunate and some people do not handle it as well as others.

I have a co worker that hit an overpass at 60 mph in a tractor trailer. I had lunch with this driver one week before his accident. My guess is he fell asleep at the wheel. He now lives in an assisted living center due to his brain injury.

My mother was a passenger in a Commercial Vehicle that my Dad was driving. Another driver crossed the center line on a 2 lane hi-way in Indiana hitting my Dad head on. My mother died at the scene. My Dad survived.

My Dad continued to drive a truck after a few weeks. He owned and operated trucks for 47 years. He retired in Sept.2013.

Both, of these accidents have effected me. I feel they have helped me appreciate life. I try to never take it for granite.

I have driven a truck for over 25 years now. I enjoy it most of the time. It is who I am and what I do.

Stungjoe my advice to you is to learn from life experiences. If trucking is what you do keep doing it. Be thankfull every time you see an accident that you were not involved.

 

I run back an forth across 80 in Pennsylvania so I see my share of trucks that went off the road and haven't been yanked out yet. It ranges from "haha what an idiot" if it didn't look too serious to downright spooky when they are on laying on their side with cab and trailer smashed to hell at the bottom of a sharp drop off and you know there's a good chance the driver bought the farm. I catch myself wondering what happened. Blew a steer tire? Fell asleep? Banked too hard on a snow covered road? That always sobers me up. Could be you or me at some point no matter how good we think we are.

 

Although this didn't end in a death or any serious injury this situation has made me more aware and sometimes a little nervous...

My buddy (same company) was driving around a corner and the dump trailer and truck flipped... He wasn't going fast (he was at red light, loaded 44ton 30ft dump trailer so couldn't go fast)... The says he felt the trailer wanting to push itself the opposite way he was going because of a dip in the road and the self steering lift axles... Then over she went... When I drop passed the accident my heart just sank thinking he was dead or seriously hurt, I couldn't get a hold of him on his cell phone which made me more paranoid... I couldn't stop because the intersection was blocked off by emergency crew, city personal (we work for city) and heavy tow... It's a scary feeling when you see one of your own trucks on his side really makes you think..

Ever since then I have been more aware when making turns and actually going a lot more slower... I am sketched out sometimes even going the speed limited around some corners... I am now just starting to be more comfortable going around the turns at a more normal speed and running the highway at normal speeds.. Certain corners on the highway I would slow down to 85-90km/hr rather then the normal 100-105km/hr.. With certain materials inside the trailer more weight can be on one side of the trailer and when going around corners (and with the air-ride) it seems like its swaying a lot to one side.. That is what sketched me out... It has made me more aware of these new self steering lift axles because in certain road conditions they have a mind of their own.. Like when you hit a low spot in the road the steer axles actually shimmy left and right because there isn't enough downforce on the road.. Or in snow covered roads going around corners they will not even steer they will just drag..

 

Two of my co workers were killed driving trucks in the 90s one was my friend growing up and i got him a job where i worked i was driving trailer he was driving a tri axle he forgot to take his pto out and started down 95 and accidentally bumped the dumpbody lever and hit a overpass it bothered me for years after.

 

The psycho drivers are why I didn't move my family to Midland. I've lived where there are people you can point at and say they are bad drivers, but Midland is the only place I've been where the drivers are actually homicidal just looking for an opportunity. They are nuts. 285 going from Pecos to White's City rd is some version of Deathrace as well, let's take a bunch of smaller vehicles trying to do 80+, mix in a few trucks that can't exceed 45, blind hills and lots of opposing traffic, and there's the recipe for fun.
The company moving to Pecos didn't help either, they're probably getting ready to fold the tents up there now.