Illegal U-Turn Attempt On Turnpike Results In Fatal Accident

As a trooper stated, this has become common. I see it more and more. I dont know fir sure but I have heard that on the Autoban in Germany it is 5 years in prison for this. If not. It should be.

 

AMEN!! These knuckleheads think its the end of the world when they miss a turn etc. U-turns?? Heck most cant even merge onto freeway, let alone time out a U-turn!

 

The sadder part is, it is getting more and more frequent. Meaning more of the four wheelers are getting more confident at using these spots reserved for the police. Maybe the police dont need these spots and have these "crossovers" removed.

 

In over 45 years on the road with a semi,I only had 2 serious accidents. One was this exact same scenario. I was traveling on I-90 out west, doing the speed limit,65. Car was entering Interstate,I signaled,eased into the left lane to let him on. Car speeded up in the slow lane,ran about 1/4 mile,saw an opening in the median where the snowplows turn,and made a left turn in front of me. I should have held my lane,but I would have hit him square in the drivers door,and shurely would have killed the driver. I steered left,natural reaction and headed for the median to try and avoid him,barely got the nose and cab by him,and he crashed into my drive tires,and right front side of my RGN deck. Tore the front off his car,and spun him around 360 in the highway,completely totaled the car,luckily no injury.Hardly and damage to my rig.
Troopers came and yeah,I'm the bad guy,all truck drivers fault. Cop told me to stay at my truck,they would let me know when it was my turn to talk. Rollback came,scooped the guys car up,driver left with the car. Cop says,allright what happened.I told him my story,and the cop said the car driver said he was tuning his radio,didn't see me,that was the reason for the sideswipe! Sideswipe,I tore the front off his car,for crying out loud,not his side! Showed him where I dropped down in the median to try and avoid. Driver had lied to cop,and he believed him. After I explained to the cop the whole story,pointed out the median opening where it happened,the cop got this look on his face,realized he had been lied to and swallowed it.
They did a complete inspection of me,everything was in place,permits,log,etc. They then let me go,no charges for me,never heard another word. But,it does show what that trooper,and unfortunately most peoples first opinion about truck drivers vs. car is. I'm wrong till proven otherwise.

 

It's usually going to be pinned on the trucker where possible. That is where the money etc is.

Driver forward cameras that collect the accident as it develops usually puts a end to that problem.

 

If I was still driving a rig,I wouldn't leave my driveway without a dash cam. This was back in pre camera days.

 

I think I got lucky in a few ways re: My major accident.

1. There was clearly something wrong with the other guy (all toxicology was negative, but even the Trooper said 'We can't find anything, but there's something off about him').
2. Every busted part of his car was on my side of the road.

Two lanes, he crests the hill with his car 3/4's in my lane. I move shoulder-ward to make myself as small as possible (putting it in the ditch was not an option I'd even consider).

His mirror busts out my headlight on the way by. The body of his car rips off my steps, fuel straps & DEF cap. Then the impact as he slammed my foremost drive tire, folding the rim in half, clipping the second one on his way out the back. Somehow or another he also managed to puncture one of my tanker tires before landing in the ditch on my side of the road.

Stopped.
Set brakes.
Ran back, he's kicking out his door.
Asked him 2 questions: 'Are you okay?' & 'Are you ####ing drunk!?'

That was an intense 5 seconds. That I'd rather not do again. Lol.

 

Looks like he was ok. My only other serious truck accident did involve a fatality.I was 0% at fault,nothing I could do,but still bothers me to this day. Not even going to relate that story. Hope others here driving never have to go through that.

 

Thankfully the only accident I ever had was from going over a snow bank and finding there was a fire hydrant inside of it.