Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/757428
A 37-year-old diesel me- chanic was driving his fully-loaded service truck along a four lane interstate highway, when he decided a call or text message couldn't wait. It was daylight, with clear conditions, and the me- chanic was driving at highway speeds. He was an experienced worker, with 11 years of mili- tary service as a mechanic. His work required lots of wind- shield time, with travel across several states, and he had been driving for about four hours, or 240 miles, at the time of the accident. But on this day, because he was focused on his phone, he didn't see the traffic backing up for two miles ahead – nor the semi-truck that was slowing down in front of him. The mechanic rear-ended the semi-truck with enough force to cause a chain reac- tion, pushing the first truck into a second tractor-trail- er that had already stopped. The force of the impact caused severe damage to the mechanic's truck, with the cab collapsing inward 5 feet – all the way into the right rear tires of the semi-truck. Fire and rescue responders arrived at the scene and had to use mechanical means to extract the mechanic from his truck. He was pronounced dead on the scene from blunt force injuries. The mechanic was wearing a seat belt, but law enforcement officers noted the cell phone was still in his left hand. Subsequent investigation found that the mechanic was engaged in a call or text at the moment of the accident, and failed to see the tractor trailer ahead or stop in time. There was no evidence of drug or alcohol impairment. Police noted that the mechan- ic's truck left a 68-foot, pre-impact skid mark before hitting the semi-trailer. The employer's safety policy regarding cell phone use was the same as the Federal Railroad Administra- tions regulations when working around trains, but did not cover employees working in or around vehicles. How this accident could have been prevented. • Drivers should use cell phones and wireless devices only after pulling off the road in a safe location and parking the vehicle. • Regardless of phones or other distractions, drivers should always maintain a safe following distance from all other vehicles and adjust for weather con- ditions, visibility and road conditions. • Drivers should be trained in how to judge safe stopping distances at different speeds. • Construction and maintenance companies should implement policies banning the use of cell phones and in-vehicle technology when trucks are in motion. • Employers should consider using driver cams or other technology to detect or prevent the use of cell phones and other technology in the cabs of their moving trucks. • Companies should consider using hands-free, voice activated systems to reduce the likelihood of drivers using their cell phones. For more detailed information on this accident and training solutions for distracted driving, see: www.cdc.gov/niosh/FACE/pdfs/12ia041.pdf. EquipmentWorld.com | December 2016 31 safety watch | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com Date of safety talk: Leader: _____________________ Attending: Illustration by Don Lomax Distracted equals deadly when driving