Accidents ...what's the Truth?

I think that list was for death not getting injury. I agreed with seeing unhealthy drivers but the odds of dying *getting in and out your truck* vs driving is no where close to each other. On the road it's unpredictable. From that 4wheeler riding on your steer tire waiting for a small gap so he can floor it and cut you off, to the unpredictable weather we encounter. Snow/black ice/rain even tornado or maybe sink hole opening up in your patch. How about road debris or pedestrian changing his tire inches off the main highway. Every second i drive i'm fighting the odds of living. everything and every driver is a threat to me. I see bad...really bad accidents and learning later on that person i saw die in that crash, not just once or twice but a handful of times. Construction worker is also a dangerous job, it even make the list but that's article is the fact. Not made up maybe you haven't been in a accident but the destruction power we are capable off is unimaginable. If a school bus full of kids lose control and is now in a head on collision course to me, i just hope i dont get crush by my trailer once i fly of to the ditch doing 60mph. I wonder if semi truck have crash test to insure drivers can live like they do to 4wheelers

 

That is why using the Smith System is important.... yes, there is a lot of things that can happen suddenly and unexpectedly... but, a driver who is looking further down the road and anticipating what cojld happen is better able to react... the driver who backed of the accelerator so they were not in the pack and has room around them to react, has an escape route... has more options then the driver who is running with the pack and has no escape route should something happen..

As a driver there are many things you can do to lessen the dangers....

 

if someone correlated accidents per mile driven i believe one would find there are actually very few wrecks
a truck accident makes headlines because it is a big accident like a plane crash

 

Well spoken, Rider. I don't run with the pack for that reason. I've been a professional driver for less than a year, and already have seen four instances where a wipe out resulted in several semis scattered everywhere because when one goes they all go. I look well ahead of the immediate area, leave plenty of stopping distance and almost always leave myself an out. This practice may not be a fool proof means of preventing me from being involved in an accident, but it sure will lessen the odds.

 

They should add being a school Student to that list. any given day they are subject to getting shot by some piece of Crap! Look at those little babies
that were gunned down in Sandy Hook by that worthless piece of Dog Crap!

 

I have a hard time understanding how we lose so many commercial airline pilots. Maybe if we include guys that fly their own planes...but commercial pilots that fly for a living?

 

Hi rank, do you mean lose, as in retire? I think pilots are a lot like truckers. I don't fly a lot, but when I do, it seems most of the pilots are grey haired middle aged men, and perhaps, like trucking, very few people are going into that line of work nowadays. It is an intense job.

 

You know... I dont find being a truck driver all that stressful... I get to work, do a pre trip, get my load info, hook up to my load and roll... okay, yes, along the way a car or another truck will do something stupid... maybe wait till the last minute to get over in the open lane at a construction zone, may cut infront of me... but, I just make what adjustments I need, usually back off the accelerator a bit, let them get ahead of me and just continue on my way... I dont let it stress me out... I get to my stop... things will go as planned, unless of course they dont, but either way, it is what it is and I just deal with it... I untarp and unstrap my load.. fold my tarps and roll my straps and wait til I am unloaded, when unload, I roll to get my next load... there just isnt a lot of stress in that...

I think most driver create the stress they feel... they let themselves get worked up by things that really are not that big a deal.. and not worth getting worked up and stressed out about... and I believe that being a professional driver means being able to to not let stupid things get to you... I know I wouldnt want the doctor getting ready to do surgery on me letting themselves get all worked up about someone parking in his spot... being able to keep your emotions in check is a part of being a professional....

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4088118]Hi rank, do you mean lose, as in retire? I think pilots are a lot like truckers. I don't fly a lot, but when I do, it seems most of the pilots are grey haired middle aged men, and perhaps, like trucking, very few people are going into that line of work nowadays. It is an intense job.[/QUOTE]
No Semi....I meant killed on the job