My Son Was A Good Samaritan After An Accident He Witnessed

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

SF VIP
Location
New Jersey
My son is a trucker (18 wheeler) and he posted yet another video about safe driving on Facebook just before Thanksgiving. He was on the highway when some idiot decided to change lanes quickly without signaling or giving warning to to the driver in the lane to the right of him. He (or she) caused that driver to try get over and avoid being hit which in turn caused her to crash into the guard rail. My son was appalled and it is evident in the video that it really bothered him that no one stopped to see if she was okay. Everyone is always in so much of a hurry he said. So he pulled his truck over on the shoulder to check on her, then called 911 and stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. She did need medical attention when they got there. Of course the person who caused the accident kept going which really ticked him off.

The scary part is that my son could have been all up in this accident, which if his truck was involved could have been deadly. What saved him was following J.B. Hunt's policy about always following at a safe distance. I think he said it's called the "Smith rule". My son has received several safe driving certificates from JBH, so he takes safety on the road very seriously and had posted several video messages on FB about driving safely, especially during bad weather.
@Pecos
 

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Wow. Your son is a very good person. The world needs more like him. It can't be easy to pull over with an 18 wheeler on a highway.

Keeping a distance is so important. I had some jerk right on my bumper coming back from feeding the cats this morning. Then guns in when I go into the left turn lane. All so he or she could brake to go right at the intersection. People drive nuts and I don't see anyone stopping this terrible and dangerous behavior.
 

OneEyedDiva said:
My son is a trucker (18 wheeler) and he posted yet another video about safe driving on Facebook just before Thanksgiving. He was on the highway when some idiot decided to change lanes quickly without signaling or giving warning to to the driver in the lane to the right of him. He (or she) caused that driver to try get over and avoid being hit which in turn caused her to crash into the guard rail. My son was appalled and it was evident in the video that it really bothered him that no one stopped to see if she was okay. Everyone is always in so much of a hurry he said. So he pulled his truck over on the shoulder to check on her, then called 911 and stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. She did need medical attention when they got there. Of course the person who caused the accident kept going which really ticked him off.

The scary part is that my son could have been all up in this accident, which if his truck was involved could have been deadly. What saved him was following J.B. Hunt's policy about always following at a safe distance. I think he said it's called the "Smith rule". My son has received several safe driving certificates from JBH, so he takes safety on the road very seriously and hsd posted several video messages on FB about driving safely, especially during bad weather.
@Pecos
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Please tell your son that I am proud of him.
 
I have to add this. I think big rig drivers put up with or tolerate a lot of stupid stuff from people who have no idea how to drive around tractor-trailer drivers. I have seen some very stupid moves people make with cutting off the driver or driving around the back of them while they are trying to back up, or suddenly coming to a stop. It seems to me that drivers think these big rigs can react to any given situation in seconds. No way. They need time to even bring their truck to a stop, compared to the little Honda that just cut in front of the truck, so they could get to their off ramp because they thought they could rush ahead of the semi and beat him to the off ramp. I have seen that act many times. Truck drivers tolerate a lot if crap from us drivers in our vehicles.
 
Alligatorob said:
And a hero! Good man.
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Thank you so much to each of you I've tagged in this reply for your lovely comments about my "baby" ❣️
Rob. I told him you said that. He doesn't think of himself that way...just did what needed to be done.
@Pecos I certainly will MDB.
@Remy You are right...it's hard for big rigs to stop and like @Been There pointed out people do the stupidest things. I put in a lot of time on the road when I was in the field and I would never tangle with a truck or bus. Been there, you're right. My son has so many stories to tell about dumb things people do. Once a man driving a very fancy car that my son found out was owned by his boss ran into the back of my son's truck. He obviously wasn't paying attention to the fact that traffic had slowed to a near stop...probably texting or something. My son said that car sustained much damage...probably totaled. The man wasn't injured, thank goodness.
@Kika I am very proud of my son for several reasons.
@Jules I don't know if he has a dash cam. I'll have to ask.
 
Speaking of dash cams, I bought my niece one for Christmas. I spent a lot of money for it because I wanted her to have the best. She lives in Silicon Valley, actually San Jose, is super intelligent, but the girl can’t drive. I think she has at least 2 accidents each year. She is always distracted by either phone calls, or someone calling her on FaceTime. I tell her to set her phone to “I can’t answer now, driving,” but she is afraid of missing a client’s call. She both flies (thank God she isn’t a pilot) and drives a lot of miles each year. Typical career woman. No time for men right now, she says, but occasionally will date. I told her that she will die an old maid. So then she tells me “So will you.”
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Thank you so much to each of you I've tagged in this reply for your lovely comments about my "baby" ❣️
Rob. I told him you said that. He doesn't think of himself that way...just did what needed to be done.
@Pecos I certainly will MDB.
@Remy You are right...it's hard for big rigs to stop and like @Been There pointed out people do the stupidest things. I put in a lot of time on the road when I was in the field and I would never tangle with a truck or bus. Been there, you're right. My son has so many stories to tell about dumb things people do. Once a man driving a very fancy car that my son found out was owned by his boss ran into the back of my son's truck. He obviously wasn't paying attention to the fact that traffic had slowed to a near stop...probably texting or something. My son said that car sustained much damage...probably totaled. The man wasn't injured, thank goodness.
@Kika I am very proud of my son for several reasons.
@Jules I don't know if he has a dash cam. I'll have to ask.
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How many miles does he drive a year? Does he own his own rig or does he drive for a trucking company?
 
Gary O' said:
Yup

Spring breaks have a lag time to even slow down

Hated driving an OTR rig near town, especially when pulling joints
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There is a man in our development that has his own $200,000+ rig. Last year about this time, he asked me if I wanted to ride along down and back to Key West. I was kind of hesitant at first, but said ok. I got my taste of seeing very poor drivers around big rigs. It made me realize to be more aware myself when driving around big rigs. I don’t think that man is home more than 1 or 2 days every 3-4 weeks. Luckily, he isn’t married. He can’t park his tractor on the property, but a farmer a few miles away allows him to keep it at his place for free.
 
The guy that owns his rig here said he drives a load to wherever, drops and picks up another load and just keeps on driving. When I went with him down to Key West, we stopped somewhere in Georgia and dropped his load for Amazon and picked up another for Amazon and dropped that load in Key West. Then we started back and stopped just past the 7-mile bridge and hooked up a load of mixed freight and brought it back to Richmond, VA and then came home. He was gone again about 6 hours later. To me, that’s insane.
 
I learned from the best, my Pops. He drove a logging truck millions of miles on and off road. No shortage of dummies on the road. Truck drivers are underpaid, no question. Ride along some time and you’ll see.
 
Great that your son did this and great that he follows at a safe distance! Unfortunately, some truckers do not follow at a safe distance, especially in snow-covered roads. I generally opt for the less plowed highway in snowy weather because the trucks are not on it. Last year I may have gotten hit by a truck following too closely and quickly coming behind if I did not take the shoulder (in snow-drifted conditions) - I emailed the company with details when I got home.
 
Remy said:
Wow. Your son is a very good person. The world needs more like him. It can't be easy to pull over with an 18 wheeler on a highway.

Keeping a distance is so important. I had some jerk right on my bumper coming back from feeding the cats this morning. Then guns in when I go into the left turn lane. All so he or she could brake to go right at the intersection. People drive nuts and I don't see anyone stopping this terrible and dangerous behavior.
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My cure for keeping safe on freeways and the like is to stay in the right lane. All speedy boys can't stand doing only the speed limit behind someone like me. They pull around you and join their speeding buddies in the left lane(s). But when coming up to a exit ramp, I do then collect bumper huggers behind me who are there to exit the expressway at the next off ramp.

I find driving the right lane much safer than in those crazy left lanes where all the speed nuts are going way over the limit and cutting off each other with their chaotic lane changes.

Sixty-five years on a motorcycle taught me a few lessons in safety. On a bike, you don't just get a dented fender. You get dented ribs and a dented head.
 
J.B. Hunt is a good company. Shows they hire the right people.

I agree, seeing a lot of crash vids where the drivers will take off. Its especially hard when there's no video of the accident.
 

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