Long Haul Trucker Dies After Striking an Embankment at the End of an Interstate Highway Off-Ramp

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

In the fall of year 2005, at 12:40 AM, a 47-year-old male semi-truck driver began his delivery route hauling a refrigerated trailer loaded with 23,000 pounds of produce. His first delivery was approximately 265 miles away. After two hours and twenty minutes, he exited the interstate 23 miles from the start of his route. At the end of the exit ramp he attempted to turn right onto a 4lane highway. He missed the turn and drove straight across the highway through a guardrail; the truck became airborne, and crashed into an embankment exploding into flames. An unidentified motorist driving behind the semi called emergency response services. Local police and fire departments arrived at the scene and discovered the cab and trailer burning. The coroner arrived while the firefighters extinguished the blaze. After extinguishing the fire, emergency personnel removed the driver’s body and the coroner declared the driver dead at the scene. The death certificate stated the cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma/motor vehicle accident, and that carbon monoxide possibly contributed to death. Toxicology test results showed the driver had a 0.6% blood level of cocaine, a presumptive presence of benzodiazepine, and a carbon monoxide level of 38% at the time of the crash.

Long Haul Trucker Dies After Striking an Embankment at the End of an Interstate Highway Off-Ramp [PDF 378 KB]