Truck Breakdown Highway Safety: 5 DPS Tips After US 281 Death

What happened

Truck breakdown highway safety is in the news again in Texas. Around 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, a young woman was hit and killed on northbound U.S. 281 near Isom Road in San Antonio. Her car had broken down and was partly blocking a lane. She got out, and a passerby stopped to help push the car to safety. Another vehicle hit her.

Police said the driver who hit her stayed at the scene and was not intoxicated. No charges are expected. Northbound U.S. 281 was closed for several hours and opened again before 7 a.m.

After the crash, KSAT in San Antonio shared tips from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) on what to do if your vehicle breaks down on a highway. They are simple:

• Stay calm.
• Pull off the road as far as you can.
• Turn on your flashers (hazard lights).
• Call law enforcement and wait for them to arrive.
• If you must get out, use the passenger side, or the side away from moving traffic.

What it means for owner-operators

This crash involved a car, not a truck. But the danger is the same for every driver who stops on a highway, and a big rig is a lot harder to move out of the way. The most dangerous minutes are the ones right after you stop, when other drivers do not expect a stopped vehicle.

Commercial trucks also have their own federal rule. Under 49 CFR 392.22 (the FMCSA rule for stopped trucks), you must turn on your hazard flashers right away when you stop on a highway or shoulder. You must also put out your warning devices, like reflective triangles, as soon as possible and within 10 minutes. On a divided highway, place one about 200 feet back and one about 100 feet back toward the traffic coming at you. Place a third one within 10 feet of the rear of your truck, on the traffic side.

Night makes this worse. Many drivers are tired, and a stopped trailer can be hard to see. That is why the lights and the triangles matter so much.

A breakdown also costs money. Every hour on the shoulder is an hour without a load moving. If you are not sure what your policy does for a stopped truck, now is a good time to check, not after it happens.

What to do next

• Check your triangles today. Make sure you have them and that they are in good shape.
• Keep a reflective vest and a flashlight in the cab.
• When you start to lose power, move as far right as you safely can before you stop.
• Get out on the side away from traffic, and stay away from the travel lanes.
• Call for help and let law enforcement manage traffic. Do not try to push a vehicle in a live lane.
• Know your roadside and towing options before you need them.

Want to understand what each part of a truck policy covers? Read our guide to trucking insurance coverage. Questions about your own policy? Call or text us at 956-526-6727.