A distracted, lead-footed operator caused his employer’s heavy vehicle to become a total loss.
Authorities recently examined why an employee drove into oncoming traffic and wrote off a loaded truck mixer.
Dash cam footage shows the driver attempting a sharp turn at 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) about 11:28am on 20 November 2023.
The vehicle initially seems to handle well before moving onto the wrong side of the road and crashing into vegetation.
“After the incident he admitted speeding saying he was on ‘auto pilot’ and may have been distracted by some personal issues,” the Cemex video safety alert said.
“The rear CCTV camera was very dirty obscuring any view. The six-year-old truck was a write off.”
Investigators declared a high potential incident that risked fatal injuries to the operator and third parties.
They made the following recommendations:
- turn at safe speeds
- follow appointed routes to work sites
- avoid abrupt and unplanned manoeuvres
- do not drive too fast for road conditions
- consider load centre of gravity and movement
- ensure drivers are fit, alert and watch their speed
- keep a safe distance from the edge of the haul road
- assess and scan area before positioning for discharge.
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