Responsible Steps Truckers Could Take to Help Prevent Tragedies on our Roads

A recent tragic accident on our Houston highways claimed the lives of two innocent women taking a METROLift cab to their kidney dialysis treatments. The cab, which witnesses said was weaving in and out of traffic at speed, crashed into a stalled fuel tanker truck. The impact led to the deaths of the two ladies who were riding in the cab. The cab driver himself survived the wreck.

We could go on and on about the dangers of speeding and careening recklessly through rush hour freeway traffic (and we likely will do just that in other articles). But what seems more relevant for now is that looking at both aerial and street-level photos from the accident scene, I saw no trace of warning cones, flashing lights, barriers or other signals. The stalled trucker could have used such signs to warn other motorists of the potential danger from his massive, fuel-laden vehicle unmoving on the narrow shoulder of the freeway. Photos of the scene show a very narrow freeway shoulder. The extremely narrow shoulder offers moving vehicles in the adjacent lane no extra clearance between themselves and the bulky truck. One report said that the truck driver had set triangle indicators regarding his stall. It seems that in busy rush hour traffic, this type of indicator doesn't attract enough attention to be readily noticed.

This lack of stalled truck warnings seems plainly hazardous and a little frightening. Even in a situation with more clearance room, a stalled truck (particularly a stalled FUEL truck full of combustible materials) presents a major hazard to other traffic. On busy roadways, drivers can't always see obstacles until they are right upon them.

Recognizing this clear and present danger, a responsible truck driver (particularly the driver of a stalled FUEL truck full of combustible materials) should take the extra step of putting out cones behind him to warn approaching drivers of his immovable presence. If a stalled truck driver can take that extra, responsible step of placing out some bright warning cones, maybe he could prevent such tragic accidents as the recent one that claimed two women's lives.