Fatal Motorcycle Collision Caused by Improper Tow Truck Parking

Case Overview

This case involves an individual who was fatally injured while riding a motorcycle. Allegedly, a tow truck driver parked their truck in the right lane of a two-way street overnight. Two individuals riding a motorcycle approached the tow truck and attempted to avoid it. Unfortunately, they could not evade a collision and clipped the truck, which resulted in the motorcycle passenger's death. The aim is to engage an expert in trucking safety and operations to review the case and provide an opinion on the proper protocol for parking a tow truck.

Questions to the Transportation expert and their responses

Please describe your experience in trucking safety and operations, particularly as it relates to your knowledge of training and supervising employees.

Throughout my 40 year career in the trucking industry, I have needed to operate safely and train drivers along with supervisors and some company owners on Federal Regulations, safe operations and how to coach employees.

Briefly, what instructions and/or training standards exist as they relate to parking protocol?

49CFR Subpart C part 392.22 covers emergency signals for stopped commercial motor vehicles, including part 392.22(b)(2)(iii) “Business or residential districts. The placement of warning devices is not required within the business or residential district of a municipality, except during the time lighted lamps are required and when street or highway lighting is insufficient to make a commercial motor vehicle clearly discernable at a distance of 500 feet to persons on the highway.” Depending on the municipality, parking a commercial motor vehicle on a residential street is prohibited. Most companies train their drivers to park clear of the roadway in a safe and legal parking place. I would like to see the company's policies regarding taking the trucks home and local ordinances. I look forward to discussing this further with the attorney.

About the expert

This expert has over 40 years of experience in trucking and transportation management and safety. He earned his BA in transportation management and his MBA in transportation management from Almeda University. He also holds a master's certificate from the US Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Safety Management Program, and he is a certified director of safety by NATMI. This expert is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association, and the North American Transportation Management Institute. Moreover, he has been recognized as a Safety Professional of the Year in Kansas and Oklahoma, and he is a past chairman of the Kansas Motor Carrier Association and the Oklahoma Safety Management Council. After serving in the US Navy, he worked as a truck driver for Truck One, Able Transit, and National Transit. He also was a certified instructor at Pro Drive Truck Driver Training, the training director at Transportation Training Center, and the owner-operator of Eagle's Glory Trucking Inc. Most recently, this expert worked as the director of safety at Beaver Express Service, Christenson Transportation, LTI Trucking Inc., and Creech Logistics and Creech Horse Transportation. Currently, he serves as the director of safety and recruiting at a trucking and transportation company and as a managing member of a transportation safety and compliance consultancy in Iowa.

E-484860

Specialties:

Transportation