Aiken, SC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/07/2016 --Vicki Simons of Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com has named November 8 "Low Clearance Awareness Day" for the purpose of helping professional truck drivers avoid driving commercial motor vehicles under or into structures that are shorter that their vehicles.
The date November 8 (11/8) was selected in honor of the "11 foot 8" (11'8") railroad trestle in Durham, North Carolina, where many low clearance crashes have happened despite the installation of numerous warning devices. Many videos have been made of large and straight trucks -- and recreational vehicles -- that have been damaged by the "can opener" bridge, which can be seen on the website 11foot8.com or the site's YouTube channel.
"Low clearance truck accidents -- which are always costly -- are 100% preventable," Mrs. Simons said. "With all of the technology available today, though, why are these accidents still happening?"
A photo from a news report about a low clearance truck accident appears on the TruckersSavings Pinterest social media channel on the "Truck Under Blunders" board. It originally appeared in an article on OregonLive.com on February 25, 2013. The article says that according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, the driver attempted to take a Walmart truck measuring 13'6" high under a 12'9" bridge at River Road South and Orville Road South.
Mrs. Simons notes two seemingly contradictory pieces of information in the article:
1. The trucker "misread the height limit" and
2. The trucker "was relying on directions from the truck's navigation system" at the time of the accident.
She wants to know why a navigation system installed in a commercial motor vehicle would route a trucker under a low clearance bridge and what brand and model of navigation system it was.
While truck low clearance accident statistics have been hard to come by, Mrs. Simons speculates that many truckers are having these accidents because they are relying upon GPS -- or Global Positioning System -- units in one of two respects:
- Either the GPS unit being used by the trucker was not properly configured for commercial motor vehicles;
- Or despite the GPS unit in use, the truckers didn't heed clearly marked low clearance signs.
In order to help her learn more, Mrs. Simons announced the following reward to help raise awareness among professional truck drivers about low clearances. In the name of Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com, she will give a $50 Amazon.com gift card to
- the first professional truck driver who can document to her satisfaction
- that any GPS (Global Positioning System) unit that has specifically been configured for 13'6" commercial motor vehicles
- has routed him/her to go under any overpass that is shorter than 13'6" in the lanes of travel (not on the shoulders) within the continental USA.
Truckers are invited to submit information through a special form on the site in order to qualify.
Besides challenging professional truck drivers to be aware of low clearances, Mrs. Simons also challenged:
- News reporters who report about low clearance truck accidents, to always ask the driver if he/she was following the routing of a GPS unit that was specifically configured for commercial motor vehicles; and
- Trucking companies to provide their drivers with lists of brands, models and specifications of GPS units that are allowed for use in their trucks.
To help American truckers who are traveling in Canada -- and Canadian truckers who are traveling in the USA -- Vicki Simons has created a "Truck Height Feet to Meters Conversion Table", which is available through their Free Downloads page. To get instant access to the printable PDF document, enter your name and email address in the form on our website and confirm your subscription.
Mrs. Simons listed five tips to help professional truck drivers avoid low clearance accidents:
1. Know the height of your entire truck: tractor and trailer(s).
2. Do not use non-CMV GPS units.
3. Plan your route according to approved truck routes.
4. Always watch for and heed low clearance signs.
5. If you're unsure your truck will clear an overpass, it's always better to stop than risk having an accident.
For more information, visit the Low Clearance page of Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com.
About Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com
Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com was created by trucker consumer advocates Mike and Vicki Simons "because truckers know that no trucker deserves to be stung financially". Through the site, the couple provides real world tips that help professional truck drivers save hard-earned money and personal reporting about products and services for use on the road. They share the tips they have learned through the years and encourage other professional drivers to do the same.
Since 2009, Mike and Vicki have helped untold numbers of professional truck drivers and their home support team members save money in many different ways. The couple's 25+ years of marriage, frugal lifestyle and commercial driving experience serve as the backdrop for blending two of their passions: truck driving and saving money. They have published hundreds of articles and reviews on their site, have sent thousands of news snippets to their continually updated Truckers' Savings Blog and publish a free monthly email newsletter.
