Multiple Rollovers I-10W to LA

I was stuck in traffic over this wreck. I saw the tractor in the center median. The top was peeled off and the trailer king pin plate was ripped completely off the frame.

Shame to hear it was a Team operated truck.

RIP drivers

 

When it blows, I hammer down. I hate gusts.

 

RIP drivers and prayers for your family and friends.

Has anyone ever wondered why they couldn't put rollbars in the truck, like race cars have. The cabs crumple like paper and drivers are lefti n a dangerous situation. Instead of wasting money on other useless deals, this should be a #1 consideration on new trucks.

 

In some of these "lay-over" situations where a death or sever injury occurs, I'm not sure that the cab structure failing or crumpling is the problem. What often happens is the head or upper torso finds it's way out a broken window (gravity) as it's slamming, bouncing, and/or sliding along on it's side, and something get's severely maimed or severed. A seatbelt won't necessarily prevent this in such a scenario. Today's wide-body trucks puts the side window and seat area almost flush with the rest of the main cab's body (and the ground).

That's said, the body structure is not very beefy and can easily be crumpled in severe crash some scenarios, especially where odd terrain or fixed objects facilitates this process. Some roll support could probably be added, but at a cost of dollars and weight. And let's be honest, the trucking industry and truck builders don't seem to place a high value on truck drivers, as a whole, other then some newer technology that works to reduce liability exposure to reduce crashes with other motorists (protect them).

I still feel that for 70% of severe crashes, a driver wearing seatbelt has a better chance of survival rather then being tossed around inside a large space like a heavy rag doll .

 

What makes this bad too, is that they don't say if one of the drivers were sleeping in the bunk, or not.
And they showed some of the crash dummy wrecks a few years ago, and even on these, the head of the person could flop out the window or hit the window frame causing severe damage.