I know better but I did it anyway. I just watched video of the bad vehicle pile up in Fort Worth Texas. One article I read said over a hundred vehicles were involved. One update does have it currently at a hundred vehicles and five dead with many injured. Watching those two short videos, for people to have survived some of those collisions, would be a miracle. It was so bad.
Being empathic, I know better, I really do. But right now, my heart literally hurts. The videos show vehicles after vehicle, from passenger cars to pick up trucks to the big eighteen wheelers slamming into each other. And that is as graphic as I’m going to get. It was bad.
I can’t help but remember when my late husband was alive and driving. The many prayers I whispered up on his and other driver’s behalf. Praying for safety. The fears I couldn’t help but feel, the concerns over the conditions I knew he drove through. Him and every other truck driver out there.
Somewhere I saw that the road was icy. In the video, vehicles seem to be going faster than they should if the road is in fact icy. Reading comments after the article I’m going to share a link to, it was said by one who was six miles from the scene, their roads were dry. This was most probably an isolated event. That happened here years ago on the interstate. There was one section that was shaded and covered in black ice. There were accidents, but not to this magnitude.
It doesn’t matter how professional a driver you are or think you are. On ice, you aren’t stopping. Unless you are in a situation like this. Most people tend to go about their day clueless. Not understanding that we are not invincible. Just because we may be driving whether its a car, pick up or big truck, we are still vulnerable. If not us, the ones we may hit. It is not only important but vital that we drive responsibly. Especially but not limited to Winter driving.
No matter what you are driving, check the weather, and check road conditions for your entire route. Be prepared for emergencies. Have a first aid kit, have a blanket, have warm, water proof clothing, have snacks. Make sure your phone is charged, but NOT IN YOUR HAND. Even hands free driving is a distraction, don’t do it.
If you’re driving a car, make sure your vehicles is road worthy. Make sure you have the before mentioned supplies. Know your route and areas of potential problems. If you are around those big trucks, show those drivers some respect. Not only for their safety but yours as well. I’ll write up another post on that. Do not, do not, do not, drive distracted.
Need I make a list of distractions? You know what they are, don’t do it, not even for a nanosecond. That is all it takes to get yourself into trouble.
If you’re in one of those big trucks, be the professional you are. Plan your route, know the weather, keep tabs on the weather and road conditions as those change moment by moment- you know that. Don’t allow the mistakes of others cause one for you. If you have a citizen’s band radio..and you should have a citizen’s band radio, have that thing on. Alert others and listen to the alerts from others about problems. It isn’t just for bear warnings or if the chicken coop is open or not. Do not, do not, do not, do not, drive distracted.
Right now in Texas they are still working this pile up. It began around six this morning their time. I do not currently know if they have been able to get to and check each vehicle involved. What I do know is that there are people who left out this morning thinking it was going to be just another day. They would run their errands, they would continue on their journey, they would make another leg of a run. But they won’t.
At least five people died today, maybe more. Depending on injuries, more may yet die. It is going to take quite a while to get all that mangled metal and roadway cleared. Who knows what they may find in the process. Right now, my heart hurts for those who have lost loved ones in that.
Right now my heart pleads with anyone reading this, please, please,please drive responsibly. We are not invincible.
Fort Worth 100-vehicle pileup leaves at least 5 dead, multiple people injured: officials
Words from The Dirt Road 