Two Semis Collide - Fire Ensues; Both Drivers Perish

One summer’s night, a 49 year-old semi-truck driver (D1), pulling a flatbed loaded with salvage cars for recycling traveled north on a three-lane state highway. D1 topped a hill, drove through a right curve when the unit rolled onto the driver’s side, slide across the center line and entered a straight stretch approximately half way to the bottom of a hill. As D1’s unit was sliding down the hill in the south bound lanes, a 52 year-old semi-truck driver (D2) hauling bottled beverages was traveling south in the straight stretch up the hill. As D1 slide down the hill, D2 tried to avoid being struck head-on and struck the guardrail. D2 was struck by D1; both vehicles caught fire and both drivers died at the scene. To prevent future occurrences of similar incidents, the following recommendations have been made: Recommendation No. 1: Transportation companies should educate commercial drivers on proper load securement. Recommendation No. 2: Transportation companies should require drivers to utilize restraints while operating commercial vehicles. Recommendation No. 3: Electronic stability systems should be mandatory equipment on all commercial vehicles. Recommendation No. 4: Companies should provide new and refresher commercial driver safety training for company drivers addressing driver distraction and including defensive driving techniques