TN trooper severely injured by truck

all kinds of ppl do drive tired, that for sure, but as professional truck drivers, we are sup. to be just that, PROFESSIONAL, if we are tired, we stop. we dont keep going and end up doing exactly what seems to have happened here. It is our job to be SAFE. I have had my break before and after only 1 hour behind the wheel been tired, I stopped and took a nap. There is NO excuse for a truck driver continuing to drive if he/she is that SLEEPY. Stop and take a nap. No load is worth someones life, possibly even your own!

 

Sounds like a Craigslist driver to me.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/m...-which-bursts-flames-shuts-i/?partner=popular

Looking at his run, he was at the 600-650 mile mark. He probably was stopping at the X369.




Driver: Eric Lewis


Trooper Lowell Russell


More photo's of the crash scene on the above link. Not a pretty site. Trooper was parked on the inside shoulder against the wall. There's no excuses hitting him, but there is no way I would park there. Minimal room and heavy traffic. What's the truck doing in the left lane when it is restricted off and on through there?

Safestat says 3 trucks and 5 drivers with 80,000 miles in 2007? 11 vehicle OoS and 2 driver OoS. Sounds like the president couldn't keep his trucks on the road. It looks like an older Int'l.

 

Having worked for the DOT, We notice people fixate on the flashing lights and drive right foor us like flies to a light.

Most dangerous job I have ever ha

 

In Texas...it's a matter of driving toward the ONLY thing that can be seen.

The "flood" lights they use to light up a traffic stop, are one watt short of being rated as aircraft landing lights.

And are a hazard to anyone within range of them.

 

This is where the 14 hr rule can be dangerous. Used to be, when we could split log that if we got sleepy, we just pulled over and took a nap. With the 14 hrs rule, if you want to make money, you have to keep going, as long as you have hours, till you have used up your driving time.

I realize, IMHO, that if he was tired he should of took a break anyway, however, I understand why some people do drive tired. The rule is a bad one that needs to be gotten rid of!

 

My prayers go out the the trooper .....I do hope that he will be ok. As far as the driver and the co driver....they cant do anything about anything now. But all these companies are hiring right out of school pushing them through training to get out there and drive A company will hire a newbee before they hire someone with the driving experience why because they get a kickback from the Federal Goverment I'd like to know how long these drivers have been driving and if it was a trainee/trainer team. As an OTR truck driver my first and most important priority is you and your family ....so please give me the same respect god bless and be safe

 

With injuries like this, his chances of survival are slim. Keep your prayers going folks...

 

I hate it when you top a hill, see a cop (or other vehicle) on the shoulder, there's 4 cars to your left in front of, beside, and behind you, and nobody will work to try and give you an out. And in fact sometimes will rush to close off a gap to keep the truck from merging in front of them.