We Had A Major Truck Accident

Wishing you a quick recovery to full health.

Speedy recovery for you and your co driver!

Dan

A safe and speedy recovery. My prayers go out to you and your partner.

Raptor

Been seeing a lot of crashed trucks this week. Hope you recover soon and fully.

Dan, I hope you heal up real quick and like new. Also I'm curious as to what regulations affect team drivers when one is in the sleeper? Do the restraints have to be used? Does the lower bunk have to be used? This might be a good opportunity to inform us solo drivers who have never been taught team driving procedures.

Awful news Dan. Please keep us updated on how you are doing.

Any update on you and your co-driver?

Wishing you and your co driver a speedy recovery... My prayers are with you both and your families!!!!

Thanks for the well wishes.

Yes when team driving you have to Hot Bunk the bottom bunk.

And yes you need to use the restraint provided, although truth be told? I'm willing to bet most don't.

What I'm thinking got me, was a metal brief case that had been stowed at the bunk of the bed, horizontally that bounced out, as I bounced up the first time, on the 2nd bounce, as I was still in the bunk, I bounced and the brief case (The kind you see in truck stops) bounced under the lumbar part of my back.

Which brings us to the third thing you need to do BESIDES strapping in and sleeping in the bottom bunk.

Making sure EVERYTHING in the truck is strapped and buckled down. That's EVERYTHING in the truck, not just the berthing area.

I posted the relevant equation below, but a stationary object (at 90 in this example ) basically accelerates 3X's it's weight and kinetic energy. (Just trying to keep it simple) this 3 lbs at 3 mph become 9lbs at 9 mph. (Again this is a VERY SIMPLISTIC example and explanation)

10 lbs become at 60 becomes approximately 30lbs at 180 mph!

"The matter can also be discussed in terms of some known parameters: the velocity V, at the moment of collision, and the crush distance, D, the distance the passenger compartment has to slow to a stop, as the bumpers collapse, the fenders split off, and the engine submarines. One purpose of seat belts and air-bags is to ensure that the occupants stay with the compartment as it comes to a relatively slow stop.

The relevant formula is: v2=u2+2ad where v and u are velocities, final and initial, a is acceleration and d is distance. In this case, v=0, u=V, and d=D Substituting and rearranging, we get a=−V22D So the acceleration of the passengers (and the so-called "weight" of a free object) would scale with the square of the velocity. In the given examples, if a speed of 50 km/hr leads to a weight of 80 kg, then a speed of 90 km/hr should lead to a weight

Dan, I hope you heal up real quick and like new. Also I'm curious as to what regulations affect team drivers when one is in the sleeper? Do the restraints have to be used? Does the lower bunk have to be used? This might be a good opportunity to inform us solo drivers who have never been taught team driving procedures.

My last post wasn't all that pretty, bottom line whether driving SOLO or team everything inside a truck becomes a deadly missile if not properly secured and tied down.

The absolute minimum needs to left out and unsecured. Everything off the dash, GPS, CBs, etc secured bolted down or secured with zip ties. Nothing in the side pockets, nothing left loose on the top bunk.

Bungee Cords and Zip ties are your friends.