DISTRACTIONS ... we face them every day as drivers. Some of them are conscious choices, but all carry with them hidden dangers. When possible, we would like to shed some light on these scenarios to improve your chances of avoiding them.

CASE #1
3/31/2011 - A truck driver cruising along the West Shore Bypass in Reading, PA was jarred from his seat after chocking on a piece of fruit. According to the Reading Eagle press, 55 year-old Richard M. Paylor crashed into a concrete median after losing his bearings at the wheel when a piece of an apple became lodged in his throat subsequently choking off his air supply. “I just started choking and I can remember choking for a second or two,” Paylor said. “Things happened in a split second,” he commented. “I do remember bouncing off the guard rail into the wall.” As noted by Paylor, there was very little reaction time in this event. Possibly, if he was moving slower he could have stopped his rig and signaled for help, but that wasn’t the case, “things happened in a split second”. Luckily, say police, the impact with the median acted as a Heimlich maneuver, dislodging the apple from Paylor’s throat saving his life. For everyone’s safety, it is highly recommended that you refrain from eating while driving. You should pull off the road to a rest stop or other area where it is legal and safe to park your rig or just wait until you’re finished driving. Two hands on the wheel, two eyes on the road - STAY ALERT, STAY ALIVE! Special note: The international sign for choking is one or two hands clutching the throat.

CASE #2
The California Supreme Court recently ruled that a freeway driver owes other drivers a duty of ordinary care in choosing whether, where and how to stop on the side of the road. In this case a truck driver stopped his tractor-trailer at night, on a freeway shoulder, for the non-emergency purpose of having a snack. A motorist driving by in his pick-up truck collided with the rear of the stopped trailer at a high rate of speed, resulting in his death. The Court’s conclusion was reached in large part by recognizing a California law that establishes a general duty of each person to exercise reasonable care for the safety of others. Your safety and the safety of others are linked; exercising reasonable care for the safety of others is in your best interest. The shoulders and gore points of a freeway/highway are very dangerous places. It is not recommended that you stop in these areas at all - especially for non-emergency reasons. If you need to stop on a shoulder or gore point, remember to setup the proper emergency flares or reflectors and remain in your rig for safety. As professional drivers, your vehicle is bigger, heavier, stops slower, turns wider and you’re on the road roughly 8 times longer than the average motorist. These differences create a unique set of challenges, safety being number one. Taking chances and ignoring common sense precautions is unacceptable and dangerous. Have a hidden danger tip? Give us a call!