Truck driver John Doe was approaching a railroad crossing with an impatient Mazda tucked just inches behind is rig.
The light at the crossing had just turned red and the gates were dropping. If Doe hits the brakes the Mazda may wind up under the trailer, so he pinned the throttle to the floorboard.
His reward for the thoughtful maneuver? The crossing arm mangled Doe's side mirror and cracked the windshield, and Doe was cited for a preventable accident.
What should John Doe have done?
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It was a bright spring morning when truck driver John Doe when he was fast approaching an intersection controlled by a traffic light. About 60 feet beyond the intersection was a railroad grade crossing with another traffic light plus signal arms and bells to warn of an approaching locomotive.
Since both traffic lights were green, Doe proceeded, and was a few feet from the tracks when, “DING DING DING DING!”
The light at the grade crossing had just turned red and the gates were descending! If he stood on the brakes, the Mazda 6 that presumably was still tailgating his rig would surely run smack into his trailer underride guard.
Doe decided to floor the accelerator, and CRACK! The signal arm had descended upon, and severely mangled, the right-side mirror and cracked the windshield!
Since Doe contested the preventable accident warning letter from his safety director, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was asked to render a final decision. To Doe’s dismay, NSC ruled against him, noting that it’s better to risk being rear-ended by a small car than sideswiped by a freight train. In short, Doe should have panic-stopped.
