Let’s blame it on the Truckers
On January 3rd the Virginia area experienced a devastating snowstorm that shut down sections of Interstate 95 for more than 24 hours. Motorists were caught off guard by the unfortunate chain of events which lead to their extended time spent on the interstate waiting to receive help. I know that this was a major inconvenience for all involved, but this is winter and it has happened before in other states like Georgia, and Pennsylvania and it’s going to happen again.
The problem that I have is that now our state legislators here in the Commonwealth of Virginia want to be reactionary instead of proactive in dealing with a situation that inconvenienced people that probably should not have been on the roadway, to begin with. Look at what Pennsylvania and some of the other northern states did. They mandate that all vehicles, including empty tractor trailers stay off the roads until they were cleared and safe for travel, this would be a better option than what is being proposed by the Virginia state Senator that wants to keep truckers in the right lanes during snowstorms. I think if you ask some of the trucking companies what they think you would get better options than this one proposed by the senator.
The root cause of this major unfortunate chain of events was the weather, not VDOT, and not the trucks involved in the accident. There are truck and car accidents every single day on dry roads, wet roads, snowy and icy roads. I will put my confidence in the men and women that drive over a hundred thousand miles a year in all types of weather with a CDL license that proves they are professionals. You are always going to have some truckers with bad judgment, but most are professionals.
Keeping trucks in the right lane during snowstorms is a bad idea and a very unsafe one. Trucks have the weight and traction to keep moving at safe speeds and can see further than those in cars to make adjustments when needed. Almost every seasoned driver knows not to use brake retarders, and cruise in the snow. The left lane is already restricted to truck drivers in certain areas of interstate 95 and limiting truckers to one lane only adds to the problems for truckers and first responders, who will be in harm’s way. I am sure your constituents have more pressing issues than this.
I am sure the constituents have more pressing issues than wasting time and money on this issue.
Wayne Morgan, LPI, CDL
