Truck driver John Doe was headed west on I-80, headed to the town of Elkader in eastern Iowa on a sunny day with light traffic. After turning off the Interstate onto Elkader Highway, a brown station wagon veered directly into his path at a high rate of speed, seeking to enter a roadside flea market.
Instinctively, Doe braked hard, and steered onto the shoulder, which to his horror turned out to be soft and caused his trailer to roll slowly into a ditch.
Because Doe contested his preventable-accident warning letter, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was asked to settle the matter. NSC quickly ruled in Doe’s favor, noting the lack of soft shoulder warning signs.
CCJ's Preventable or Not series is sponsored by CarriersEdge, creator of interactive online training for small and midsize fleets, including comprehensive safety, compliance and best practices content for truck drivers. To learn more, visit https://www.carriersedge.com/
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