Wednesday evening we were called out to help clean up an accident scene, the driver of one of the tractor trailers was killed after he ran into the back of the tanker.

It was very difficult to look at the truck that he was driving, since I drive large trucks everyday and to see that kind of damage, it sort of hit me that it could happen to me or somebody I work with very easily. The cause of this accident was simply that he was following too close to the tanker.

I think its very important not only to remind yourself to drive safer and leave enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, but also train your employees and coworkers because it could happen to them.

In a thread about my new cabover truck somebody said that they didn't like that style of truck because it didn't offer any protection for the driver since the engine wasn't in front of you, I can honestly say that it doesn't matter what kind of truck you drive if your not driving safely you'll likely be killed or seriously injured.

We used 2 cranes to load the tanker onto a float to be hauled to the local tank repair company.

I heard a story this afternoon from one of the first people on scene that the truck that got hit was hit so hard that it pushed forward into 2 pickup truck.

The other thing that I heard was that the driver of the tanker will likely never drive again because right after he was hit he got out to check on the driver of the one that hit him.

CTV Ottawa- Fatal crash closes Highway 17 in Arnprior - CTV News

http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loca...hub=OttawaHome

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I am really sorry to hear about the accident. Frankly, I am surprised that we don't have more out here with so many drivers tailgating other trucks and 4 wheelers.

 

So I am wondering. Were the tanks empty? And.....did the kingpin plate on the pup fail or did the fifth-wheel itself fail?? You can see that the Convoy unit had to be hooking right along when it hit the tanker. Speed is the only way the cab winds all the way up the passenger side of the Volvo, after hitting the rear tank. I doubt he hit the brakes. Probably didn't even have time to do much more than twist the wheel.

 

The fifth wheel broke off the lead, according to the investagators he never hit the brakes, but I figure he did try to steer to the right. Its a real shame too, if he had as much a second more between himself and the tanker he would have wound up in the field and simply been cursing himself for having to call a tow truck.

 

Oh and the tanks were pretty much empty, that was the biggest danger when it came to lifting them, the fumes.

 

If the tanks were empty, and they were using straps for the lifting, then there wasn't any danger involved. If the tanks had been split during the collision....that was the moment of danger. Once it was all over with, then it became pretty stable. No...you still don't have open flames or spark producing equipment, but the possibility of anything bad happening was minimal, once the Volvo and the tanks had come to rest.

It will suck to be the driver of the Volvo if he had survived. I'm pretty sure MOP /MDOT would have hammered on him pretty hard. I'm sure the owners of Convoy....whatever their name is, are going to be thumped pretty hard......by MOP/MDOT.

 

I have no idea how many times I ran the 17 from Ottawa to the Soo. That used to be the standard route from Groveton, NH to Brokaw, WI. The last few months I ran that route, they were doing some road work on the hiway. Moved it over farther out of town and made it 4 lane. I could see the old road, with all the traffic lights. I didn't read why the tanker was stopped. I also know they tend to run on the new road. But, I never thought it would lull you to sleep. Unless the guy had a medical problem...? Sure am sorry to hear about this one.

I always loved running there. Ran that way every chance I got. Regular stop was the Big Irving at Pembroke.

 

The article said that the tanker was stopped behind the two cars it was pushed into, for a construction flagger.

 

The fear was a strap possibly being cut in some way and dropping it, not really a fear of ours but the hazmat guy and the firefighters.

 

:eek2:

Buncha Rookies!!!