Spring time in Wyoming! Yeah!

Latest news is a driver from Quebec named Alex Dragaystev is being held on charges of vehicular manslaughter.

http://cdllife.com/2015/top-trucking-news/trucker-arrested-for-vehicular-manslaughter-after-i-80-pileup-one-more-dead/

 

just a bulldozer and a few burned out pieces left
everyone must have had enough of laramie
8 pm still half empty lots

 

I've watched all the videos of both wrecks as they happened several times and I've been thinking about them and have some takeaways:

1. In both accidents MANY professional drivers that were involved did everything right. They safely came to a complete stop, yet were rear ended by another "professional" driver. Often these rear end collisions were very violent, pushing the truck that had come to a safe stop into the truck ahead, and I'm sure many of those that were rear ended must have sustained injuries. All this through no fault of their own.

2. Let's assume for a moment that YOU are in that very situation. You are in slick, foggy conditions and come to a safe stop behind a pileup like that. What should you do? Do you immediate exit the truck and run to safety, possibly exposing yourself to greater hazard? Or should you stay with the truck, buckled in and bracing yourself? I'm think about the video of those two CRST drivers, unprepared to exit the truck in the cold weather. I'm not sure how long they had to stand outside their truck, but if you do exit your truck in conditions like that at least have a warm jacket and hat handy (and shoes that stay on your feet).

It's a hard call. I'd figure as soon as I come to a stop I'm getting on my jacket and hat (always next to me in cold weather) and checking the rear view mirrors constantly. If I see nobody coming I'd be real tempted to exit the truck and get OFF the road to the nearest high ground I could, WITHOUT panicking. Maybe grab the fire extinguisher while I'm at it in case it can be of use putting out a fire early, before all the trucks go up.

 

lepton1, has some good points there, but from watching the videos, the majority of so called professionals did not stop short of the pile up, were driving too fast for conditions, and created a larger mess.

Never ever travel in wyoming without winter gear within reach. always have food, water, and short fat candles to prevent freezing to death... Hard to find the old metal coffee cans, but a soup can will work.

 

I seen an article in the news they arrested a Canadian driver for driving too fast for conditions, but released him.

 

We can at least say one mega has some safe drivers. R&L...of the many pileup videos this season, in that big one in MI and the lastest video of the 1st big one in WY...2 of the 3 R&L trucks were shown slowing down and being able to stop in time...at least there are some decent drivers in the bigger carriers.

 

Yes he paid a $60 dollar fine and was released.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/2nd-death-reported-fiery-60-vehicle-pileup-wyoming-30476240

 

I've still been mentally stewing about both the multi-rig pile ups and what would I do if caught up in a mess like that...

... and besides whether you should stay with the truck or get the heck out of Dodge asap...

... what if you are OBSERVING what is going on as it happens? Let's say you've stopped in the eastbound lanes when you saw the feces hitting the fan in the westbound lane. You WANT to help, but what to do? That was the sentiment of several people that were taking videos, "What should we do!!!???"

Here's something practical that could have helped in both situations. Drive about a mile or two ahead of the wreckage. Stop and grab a handful of flares and triangles, put on your insulated safety jacket, cross the median and get over to the westbound lanes and start popping flares and put out some triangles. Bring a bright flashlight as well. Start flagging drivers as they come barreling down the road. If they aren't on their CB maybe they'll catch the hint if they come up on flares all over the lanes, triangles out, and a guy in a safety jacket waving a flashlight frantically at them.

 

there was a third wreck today

 

Our prayers and condolences to the families of Lynn Freeman and Jenay Breden.

"The Wyoming Highway Patrol identified the two motorists killed as Lynn Freeman, 58, of Williford, Arkansas, and Jenay L. Breden, 23, of Westminster, Colorado."