Steep Downhill and you need to downshift

And a big AMEN to that! My brother and I were both impressed with how he came through that dust cloud, braking hard before entering it, and pulled over.

 

^^^ Amen.

My brother is driving now and we are still talking about this video. He's of the opinion that the trainee MIGHT have saved the situation in that turn by using the trailer brakes instead of the service brakes. Possible, since the trailer brakes would "pull" from the tandem (trailer) axle and leave the front wheels rolling.

 

A follow up to my "amen" to Bikerboy. In a situation like this I think using the service brakes as early and as hard as possible (before there are any issues with over heating or lack of air pressure) is absolutely critical. Don't be afraid to go right on down to a very low low gear as soon as possible and be the "really slow trucker with the 2 way flashers". This is NOT a situation to have any issues with machismo. Get low and slow as soon as possible.

 

There's another video on Youtube that also includes still shots of the aftermath. The rims are mangled from digging channels in the asphalt, and the trailer and cab are upside down just over what's left of the railing. The cab is flattened, the trailer is in two pieces.

I'm going to look into what Europe is using... although if they are still using cab-overs (like I used to drive in the '70's) then I might have second thoughts...

 

Amen to that. If I was the trainer in this situation I would want to have a serious sit down, face to face over coffee discussion of "having a plan" before I let him get behind the wheel on this stretch. If the trainer was in the sleeper (as has been alluded to in some comments on YT), then that would be a critical mistake.