People are talking about an astonishing video out of California that could have easily ended in tragedy.
Somehow a car gets stuck on the back of a big rig and dragged for miles along Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass. 13 Action News got some expert perspective on what happened and how it can be avoided.
13 Action News showed that video to a commercial driver used to maneuvering a big rig while sharing the road with much smaller and lower profile vehicles. We also asked a Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper to weigh in.
"These truck drivers,” said NHP trooper Jason Buratczuk. “They need room."
One driver said it did not appear the car was in the trucker’s blind spot.
Both said without knowing all the facts, it’s hard to make a clear call about who is at fault.
In the video, other drivers are honking to get the truck driver's attention. They say either driver could have been distracted or fatigued.
Semis are often hauling trailers with large amounts of weight and that makes it hard for them to see, slow down quickly, or even notice if they've made contact with another vehicle.
"They just don’t see us,” Buratczuk said. “And they are focused so much on the road. Sometimes they are not checking their mirrors."
A good rule of thumb is if you can’t see a semi’s mirrors, they likely can't see you. And while this ordeal ended with no one getting hurt, that's not typical.
"Whenever you have a crash between a semi and a passenger vehicle; the passenger vehicle is going to lose that fight,” Buratczuk said.
