Scary Video- truck accident

[Daz]

Today tonight's website.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/ ... /253814/9/

Discuss.

Daz

[Andrew]

One of the trucks wasn't watching the cars stopped in front of them. I am surprised that wasn't even mentioned in the story as that is what caused the crash.

Not to mention it probably wouldn't have even been a story on that tv show if at least one of the trucks didn't have cameras on them.

[eddy]

Exactly Andrew, they kept banging on about cars doing the wrong thing when it was clearly the tipper driver had not left sufficient space in front for a wet road and empty truck. I know that sounds judgemantal and also I have been guilty of being too close myself in the past (just lucky I suppose) but it really is a good reminder to us all.

[Derwent]

We've all been there...but most of us have been lucky enough to realise when we are too close and change what we are doing.
He didn't leave enough room and that caused it.
Also he probably should have pushed to the left not into oncoming traffic.
Top marks on the other bloke for almost missing him completely!

[Denning-6V71]

First, don't forget it was a very wet day and a very wet road, being Queensland and all. The tipper was empty, meaning no weight over either the trailer wheels nor over the drive wheels. You can see how quickly that traffic was banking up and it most likely being a 100 zone, he'd be closing on them at about 30 metres a second. You don't know at what point he started braking, nor do you know whether he'd had any cars suddenly swerve in front of him and hop on the anchors.
Finally, I doubt he had any say which way the truck was going once it was in a slide. It's basic instinct to try to pull to the left and I don't believe his wheels were turned either way, so I find it highly unlikely that he deliberately swerved into the oncoming lane.
It's all too easy to lay the blame at one person's feet or another's, without being there yourself.

Well done to TT (for once) for not trying to crucify the truck driving population in general for this smash but instead using it as a means of educating car drivers about giving trucks more room, especially when it comes to braking. I would have thought that those on this board who work in transport would be even less ignorant than TT, but apparently not....

[Andrew]

While I would normally hold the trucking fort in almost any situation, here, the tipper clearly was not watching the road. Cars were stopped on the road (incidentally at the site where another accident was being cleared up) and no cars swerved or braked suddenly. It was just a case of bloke not watching what was in front - and yes we've all been guilty of it, but the videos just show how quickly things can go south, especially in the wet.

[Derwent]

Agreed.
Doesnt matter how easy it is to be following too close (and we've all been there) the fact remains that he couldn't pull up in time.
It matters not if his truck was empty or the road was wet, these are things that we as professional drivers are supposed to take into account.
Here the events proved that he couldn't pull up in time and so retrospectively show that he either was following too close or not being attentive enough. If he was the. He would have stopped behind the cars without hitting them.
He didn't come around a blind corner to fin cars stopped in his way.
There is no allegation of mechanical failure.
Therefore the only reasonable conclusion is that he was not leaving enough room or paying enough attention FOR THE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME.
Every driver I know has been in a situation where this could have happened as it IS easy to do, and that includes me. I had a close call in a bus and learned a lot from it.
I know lots of others who can say the same.

Fact is though that If you can't stop in time and you haven't got mechanical failure then you were too close or not attentive enough for the conditions.
I think we can all look at this and say there but for the grace of god go I....

[Daz]

Having well and truly belted a car up the arse in a bus, sometimes the situation is just turns to XXX and accidents happen. The car could have overtaken the truck just before it slammed the brakes on and tried to turn. Or maybe not. I often get reminded about the on-road fragility of an empty trailer in the rain.

Daz

[AEC Decker]

First, don't forget it was a very wet day and a very wet road, being Queensland and all. The tipper was empty, meaning no weight over either the trailer wheels nor over the drive wheels.

Even pulling the trailer brakes on manually, which AEC Decker has done to help pull up in an emergency and lessen the chance of a jackknife, wouldn't have helped much in this situation on a wet road with an unladen truck and trailer.

At least colliding with another truck proved to be the lesser of two evils.

[dex]

anyone else notice the bloke driving the sliding truck wasnt wearing a seatbelt?

[Off The Rails]

anyone else notice the bloke driving the sliding truck wasnt wearing a seatbelt?

Yes.

Cheers!

[eddy]

Yes, that was the first thing i noticed although i was reluctant at first to wear one in a truck as it makes it difficult to move your head around when checking behind your mirrors/pillars.

[nbus]

Yep I did aswell.

[deepthought2006]

Yes, that was the first thing i noticed although i was reluctant at first to wear one in a truck as it makes it difficult to move your head around when checking behind your mirrors/pillars.

You're not supposed to wear the belt on your head!

[Daz]

I can't say I've ever worn it in the truck. The vehicle is too long; I constantly need to shift my body to check mirrors.

Daz

[CCCC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvH3XnSN ... =fvwp&NR=1

Some interesting pic's of Australian truck accidents on this youtube above.
Checkout the Ruttleys freight towards the end.