The semi driver is reportedly OK, his truck, however, a total loss.
If you were driving on a freeway near or in Atlanta earlier this week and saw a semi stuck in a ditch, this is the dashcam footage preceding that fateful moment.
Redditor /u/shhuss2 shared dashcam footage taken from his uncle’s 18-wheeler from Feb 22, 2023 (semi truck and trailer) moments before and after a driver in a Toyota Corolla decided at the last second to exit without looking behind him causing the semi truck driver to swerve, likely saving the Corolla driver in the process.
Check out the footage for yourself below.
Car drives a 16 wheeler off the road
by u/shhuss2 in IdiotsInCars
OP doesn’t mention where exactly the incident happened, but does confirm it was somewhere in the Atlanta area.
Looking at the video frame by frame, the semi truck driver only had a second or less to react. Traveling at 60 MPH with presumably a substantial load, it’s near impossible for the semi truck driver to do anything that doesn’t leave at least one party doesn’t get into an accident.
In the video and at the moment the Toyota Corolla driver decides to suddenly change lanes, most in the comments (myself included) think the semi truck driver really only had two choices at that point, drive through the Corolla (risking injuring that driver) or swerving (saving that driver but risking injuring himself.)
As mentioned, the Corolla driver does not stick around.
“The driver was unlicensed and ran right after the crash,” OP comments. Cops (eventually) arrested the driver.
“The semi truck driver was my uncle, and he’s OK, but the truck is gone.”
“The other driver is/was in jail but is probably out by now, and my uncle is without income until they (his insurance and trucking partner) sort it (all) out.”
A lot of people in the comments also think the uncle had too much of a heart in this situation and should’ve prioritized his safety above the other driver.
“I used to be a truck driver, ” /u/Redsun61524 comments.
“This is an amateur mistake. You should never veer away from an accident unless it’s an oncoming Semi. Always continue along your path. If someone does something like this, you keep driving in your lane. Only when you’ve slowed down do you pull over and stop.”
While I can see why OP’s uncle did what he did, I’m leaning towards what /u/RedSun61524 said as what he ultimately should’ve done.
Hopefully OP’s uncle gets this whole situation behind him sooner rather than later and thankfully, above all else, he’s OK.
What do you think this semi truck driver should’ve done? Brake and hit the car or drive off the road?
Let me know your .02 in the comments below.
