Semi accident

[Raggs]

So this is completely off topic here.. LOL...

Yesterday a storm came thru and dumped a bunch of snow. So people here don't know how to drive in the snow. They think that they can do the same speed as they can during sunny weather. My dad is a long haul truck driver and had just picked up a load in Idaho. He was coming down thru Utah on his way to California for the drop off. He made it about 30 minutes north of where I live in Kaysville. Northern Utah up by Tammy (spikeytheyorkie). The Cadillac in front of him lost control so that told my dad there was ice. The Caddy went sliding across the road right in front of my dad. So my dad, being the good driver he is, just lifted his foot off the gas and started to coast to slow down. He thought the other driver was going to hit the embankment so he was going to stop and help him. Just then he came sliding across the road the other way right in front of my dad again. Still being the good driver, just tried to steer away from hitting him. As everyone knows a semi that hits the brakes will jackknife and take out several other cars and jerking the wheel will do the same thing. Then the Caddy was far enough away that my dad wouldn't have hit him, then he came sliding back again. My dad steered out of the way enough that he didn't hit him broadside, just removed the trunk from the car. That in turn snapped the axle, the tie rod, and the ball joint on the front right side of my dads truck. That made his wheel buckle and shot him across the freeway into the embankment. He just dropped 10K into his truck to get it fixed up so it would quit dying on him and a new paint job and new wheels and tires. The crash caused his whole grill to shatter, broke the headlight, ripped the bumper apart, just about shredded the fender, pushed the tire into the gas tank which pushed the gas tank into the passenger side door. The hood and fender on semi's are all one unit so it cracked the whole hood.

The guy in the Caddy and the cop both commended my dad on his driving. Because he didn't hit his brakes and because he didn't jerk the wheel, he didn't jackknife and avoided other cars being in the accident. The guy and his wife in the Caddy are fine, my dad has a bad case of whiplash and that's all. The Caddy was totaled out and my dad's truck might be as well. The entire right side has to be replaced. It's an older semi so it might cost more to fix than it's worth. He gets to find out today.

So when you hear people talk about how semi trucks are nothing but problems and they cause so many accidents, remember that they are over 70 thousand pounds, it takes them forever to stop and people constantly cut them off causing them to try to avoid an accident, which in turns ends up causing an accident. It's not always semi's that are at fault and they aren't bad drivers. Yes some are and I've seen them. But the guys like my dad that try everything to avoid an accident without causing accidents should be remembered. Especially in bad weather. I've seen cars cut off truckers all the time and it just makes me sick to see that. They don't think anything of it, but they are risking their own lives when doing that. It's not a 3 thousand pound car. It's like a someone rolling a house down the street. So next time you are going to change lanes and there is a semi in that lane, please give well enough room so that you may not spark and accident. And please, if you hit ice on the road, don't hit your brakes.

Wow I sound like an advertisement or whatever those things are called that warn you about diseases and accidents.. LOL

[rainingcats&dogs]

scary

im glad everyone is o.k,and your dad knew what to do,i cant imagine driving in the snow or ice,ive only seen snow 5 times,that was enough for me,but family likes to go to the mts every year,and im like a hermit i just stay in hotel room,cant handle severe cold,i was 17 the first time i ever saw snow

[sheilabgroomer]

Raggs, I am so glad your daddy wasn't badly hurt. You are right, truckers do tend to get a bum rap. There are so many of them that are terrific drivers like your dad, but unfortunatly there are the bad apples that give truckers bad name.

[furrybestjob]

That's a scary story. Things could have definitely been alot worse for everyone involved. Good thing your dad kept a clear head. I'm glad that there were those that recognized his driving. Its good advice to not hit brakes when you hit ice, but sometimes its just a reflex. You really have to think not to do it (at least I do). Same thing with steering into a skid, not against it. That's one reason I won't drive the van in the snow..any amount. I don't trust myself. (and besides a snow day is nice once in awhile.)

[pugnacious]

The storms have hit here one right after another and the roads have been treacherous for weeks. I saw a girl in front of my shop slidding sideways in her car for a good fifty feet before she did a U-turn. Many cars were swearving, braking, sliding to avoid hitting her. Then I noticed through the whole thing she never ONCE put her cell phone down! DANG
I've always thought the truckers were the BEST drivers on the road and the most helpful. Whiplash can be such a bad thing, hope he's ok!

[misscatahoula]

Truckers totally deserve alot more respect on the roads, especially when the hwys are icy. It bothers me too to see people cutting them off and taking other chances infront of them. They need more space & time to react and they shouldn't have to be worrying about jackknifing and being in accidents that kill because someone went too fast and spun out infront of them. We also get alot of SUV drivers out here that think just because they have an SUV they can drive through anything at warp speed. They scare the s*** out of everyone else and often end up in rollovers.

[Helly]

Another tip about semis; if you're behind one and you can't see his rear view mirrors, you are too close, and he can't see you. He may not know you're there. Back off and give him some room.

Also, on surface roads, don't pass a semi on the right unless you are absolutely certain he's not making a right turn. He HAS to make it from the left lane. Those trucks have a huge turning radius.

And remember, right or wrong, in a car/semi accident, the car always loses. You may have been in the right, but it doesn't matter if you're dead. Be aware, be wary, and drive defensively.

Don't get me started on SUV drivers, and folks who talk on their cell phones while driving.

[PoodlePal]

Becky,

I'm so glad to hear that your father and the others were not seriously injured. I know what you mean about people cutting off truckers and not knowing how to drive in the snow. I lived in the Wash., DC are for 25 yrs before I moved to San Diego. There were so many diplomats and people from all over the world with no clue as to how to drive in inclement weather.

It's kind of comical here in San Diego ... residents don't know how to drive when it rains here. We get so little rain in San Diego that the roads are real slick when it does rain. Also, because of the mountainous terrain sometimes the run off is like a river going across the road, so you really do have to be careful.

Hope your father recovers quickly from the whiplash.

Michelle

[Misty]

Hi Becky, I am glad to hear that your Dad is such a good driver. I hope his whiplash heals quickly.
When my son went to college out in western Pennsylvania we had to drive out there to pick him up for Christmas. It was raining when we started out but every time we went through a tunnel or around a mountain the weather would change. It was a 6 hour drive and it rained, sleeted and snowed the whole way. The trucks were doing 70 the whole way no matter how icy the roads. It scared me to death but we were afraid to slow down with the semis going so fast. We were really glad we have an all wheel drive Subaru. In that way I was glad when the kid flunked out. I sure never wanted to make that trip again.

[Pawsitively Purrfect]

Definitly glad all is going to be ok...hope your dad feels better soon. My father was a truck driver most of his life, now he tows boats in the islands commercially. But he told me of alot of close calls, it's a hard job with many long hours spent driving in high traffic and treacherous weather. People should give them a break instead of speeding around them and being in such a hurry all the time.

[Raggs]

Thanks guys. He's doing alright, just really sore. So I've done his food shopping and things like that for him that require walking, because his back is really out of it. He's been to the chiro 3 times this last week. One thing is better though . He's being nice now instead of his usual New York jerk attitude towards people.. LOL

[Pixie]

I'm so glad your Dad is doing fine now. Hopefully the soreness will go away soon. Be on the watch though, he may like you doing his shopping for him and he will not recover as quickly!! LOL Don't spoil him too much now! hehe

My son had started going to truck driving school, after 1 1/2 weeks he called to have us come and pick him up. He decided it wasn't what he wanted to do. The first week he was there they just got paper work in oder, test taken to get a permit to drive the next week they had him in a semi on the highway driving the truck in construction and traffic (Salt Lake City, Utah). That was the first time he had ever been behind the wheel of something that big, with no on the road practice, until that moment, he decided that was going to be the only time. I don't know if this is how all truck driving schools teach but I didn't feel like they had much practice before getting into busy traffic.

[toomuchfunbnme]

I'm gald that your dad was not seriously injured. It's a blessing that he is an excellent driver and was able to avoid a worse accident. The people in the cadillac are very fortunate. I hope that he recovers from his whiplash quickly and has a good outcome with the insurance co. on his truck!