I was born and raised in Colorado and these roads are very deceptive, sometimes it feels like you're going downhill when you're going up, sometimes are going uphill when you feel like you're going down. This kid was in over his head and the people who should be going to jail is his company owners who put profits ahead of safety.
I agree! Been down that mountain many times. The signs are correct. The mountain will fool you. 110000 pound truck. Ive been over every pass in colorado and several in washington. In trucks. Mountains are cool but not always our friend.
I live in central Illinois and its flat as can be. Just applied for my intrastate CLP and took my written tests. Not going to drive a Semi, but growing up in Georgia and traveling thru the mountains for many years you definitely gain a different experience with the hills and curves vs people in my local where all roads are straight and flat. That poor kid was setup for failure from the beginning. As are many new drivers and i don't think the new regulation that "Requires" in class training will help, as many of these drivers have that mostly worthless class experience.
I absolutely HATE this grade. I remember when I went down this grade the first time by myself, I was absolutely terrified and I was in a lil sedan. I can't even imagine what I would feel if I was untrained to go down grades in a frikn semi. The entire I 70 can be stressful if you don't know how to handle grades. There are a few grades that twist my stomach up, to this day, driving through I 70 for a decade now. I can't even imagine how stressed out he was by this point.
I have driven a loaded semi through the Eisenhower tunnel and east to Denver twice - once in summer, once in winter. I come from the Pacific Northwest area, and am well accustomed to driving on mountain highways. I found that normal care allowed an easy passage - no big deal if the driver uses common sense. I find the commenters being very generous and forgiving to the driver who killed 4 people. Witnesses have posted that they saw him driving way too fast (85 MpH estimated) many miles before he came to the hill that led to the scene of the wreck, swerving in and out of traffic and cutting off other vehicles. If such reports of his speed and reckless driving are correct, it is no wonder he burned up his brakes and lost control.
Drivers fault no matter what u don’t know how to handle a load on grade stay in the east or Midwest west coast mountains are no child’s play you all wouldn’t be so forgiving if he killed your wife or son or daughter
I watched his first appearance in court, he was sitting with his lawyer, and an interpreter. The interpreter was translating every word. The driver at the very least couldn't understand, or speak English. He shouldn't have been driving a big truck.
just this Wednesday June 12, 2019 I stopped at the Colonial Hts Va Pilot, walked around the parking lot and the first three driver I attempted to communicate with spoke little or no english. One was twenty years from the Ukraine, and two Hispanics. I stood near the fuel desk, listened and my think us no more than 60% are English competent. How do you instruct in the use of jake brakes, propper steep grade preperations ect. with the barrier of language. The harsh truth is you are getting as much safty as the companys are willing to pay for, in both driver experiance and maintenance.
Been down that hill many times. And as is seen in this video, there are too many hot shots who exceed the 45 mph limit zipping around Mike - which is probably OK to a degree if everything goes perfectly. My experience is that when you're expecting things to go perfectly THAT'S precisely when they DON'T. That observation and my respect for it has saved my butt more than a few times. Good video, Mike!
you said down many times, the young man first time to colorado after driving 1-year local texas what they do to him is injustice and all these videos a big misleading people, that hill is about speed and weight of a load.
@@eduardoarcas8484 With what you say about the injustice done to Rogel Aguilera, I couldn’t agree more! A 23 year old kid put into a position he was never properly trained or prepared to handle. My heart aches for him. The enablers of this disaster are the ones who should be in jail, not Rogel. First of all, he was not sufficiently fluent in English to have even legitimately passed the CDL test based on his need for an interpreter in his original hearing. NOT his fault! Secondly he had apparently had no mountain training at all; a recipe for disaster when one is handling a semi-truck and trailer loaded to capacity with lumber on a busy mountainous interstate highway. Properly learning mountain driving is NOT an “on the job training” exercise for the same reason that learning to land an airliner with 100 passengers is not an “on the job training” exercise! There are NO “do overs” if a mistake is made. Again not his fault! Yes, you’re right. That hill like ALL hills is about speed, weight and load. And like ALL hills if you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s best to at a minimum “go by the book” which includes following the recommended speed limits. Of course, that might cost you an extra 2½ - 3 minutes out of a 6 hour drive, but to me at least, the extra 3 minutes beats an extra 2 or 3 days because you had to lay the rig on its side or something.
If a truck zips around you going downhill it's probably empty, light, and an experienced driver but not always. When empty you can go downhill faster without frying the brakes. But there's still a limit.
Really appreciate you driving properly and following the suggested speeds. That level of professionalism is not very common in the industry today. Lots of brake use, over speed and improper gear selection is all too common.
In 2019 I bought my first RV, a 36ft 5th wheel. Being raised in Florida I had never driven in mountains, let alone pull a trailer. My grandfather was an OTR driver for 35 years hauling out of Omaha and running to the east coast. I listened to his stories of the road as I grew up. Watching your videos is like listening to him. I have been able to apply the wisdom you share with us to my towing. I love Colorado and haven't been nervous on any road we've traveled,... yet. I love the Million Dollar Highway. Monarch Pass is beautiful. Having the right equipment and respecting the road, the conditions, and those you share the road with are a must. I used to be a crew member for a race team that ran endurance races. Our motto was, " to finish first, first you must finish". Speed doesn't always win the race.
My sister works as a accident - claim - investigator for a large trucking company in Illinois for 20 years ! She begs everyone in our family to stay away from trucks on the road anymore! I've looked at the accident pictures on her phone sent from the seen of accidents across the united States and now I stay away! the younger drivers of today are untrained and dangerous ! Thanks for the ride and stay safe !
I just read the Colorado CDL manual and passed all endorsements except hazmat and school bus which i did not take. The first three sections are really focused on basic driving and safety for commercial vehicles. IMO, it should be part of the written test for non commercial vehicles for awareness and I think every driver should have to retake the written test at least every five years. I see people constantly make illegal turns and cut off CMV's etc. I'm 60, when I leaned to drive in Colorado people mostly obeyed traffic laws and common sense safety. Those days are long gone
Nice generalization putting all young people into a category of being unprofessional and untrained. Some of these people you speak of have families and want to return to them also.
@Chicago Joe overwhelming majority of people when they get into truck-driving they start at a young age. Most drivers are safe that includes younger ones. It doesn't matter if you're old or younger when you get into the profession. You're still a rookie and have a lot to learn.
One day people will take some of the blame in the drivers and put it towards the companies that try to push you out to make them money as fast as they can
Thank you for sharing this video. Many of us have wondered why he just kept rolling down the road. Should have ditched that truck long before the accident. And for yourself, thank you for being a responsible driver!
Nice points. Started driving in 2001. Everyday in my mind im searching a way out of potential accidents. The company is the problem. Training is the best defense.
I’ve never driven a semi but I’ve wondered that same thing you talked about jerking the steering hard left to flip the semi on its right side. Would it be possible to do that on a straight section of road or do you need a curve to do that? In the late 1980’s I drove past the scene of a gasoline tanker vs a car in which the guy in the car didn’t live. The tanker trailer that was hauling gasoline blew up and it looked like a giant pop can that had been blown up by a strong firecracker. The odd angle intersection was later replaced by an overpass.
Yes, in a safe area if you have your drivers license and no one is near you drive 10, 15, 20mph max and turn the wheel 90 degrees one direction then 180 Then 180 again unless your in a flat low to the ground sports car it will rock and if you do it hard enough you can roll your own vehicle. Big trucks are severely top heavy and that makes it much easier
I just read an updated account of the accident from July 12, 2019 in the Denver Post. The most interesting piece of info is that a similar vehicle was cited for unsafe driving by witnesses some hours before the crash, ~50 miles south of the Wyoming border. Not surprisingly the company owners have also been cited for "multiple vehicle maintenance violations in the previous 24 months, including on brakes or brake systems." So, as usual, it was an accident going someplace to happen. Very sad for the victims & their families.
I started out team driving which was a big crutch. I was fresh out of training with the knowledge to manage the mountains in Utah, Wyoming and California. I was in no way well trained for what I experienced. I used my training to get up and down safe. It was very scary and stressful. I overcame my mountain driving fears by driving solo. Sounds crazy but it made me overcome those fears and learn not be scared but smart. I used all my training and put it into my driving I was a cop so I knew how to drive in stressful situations. Different type training in all professions, but each day I learn something new.
he was a legal immanent DOT requirement they checked my green card three time ( when I got my permit, when I singed up at CDL school and at the driving test). God bless us all and get us to our families safe and happy. Drive safe brothers
Love the views. Thank you for taking us through to hazards of driving a loud through the mountains. As an car driver I learned from a trucker the many problems and set backs to driving a loaded trailer. He even let me drive for a bit over an hour. I loved it. But back then women driver's weren't really driving unless they had family. I would have loved it because I always prided myself on learning every aspect of driving. I never got stuck in the snow. Always carried a shovel, car jack, booster cables and could change my own oil and filter. Change flats check all fluids and change my own wiper blades. My Dad made sure I was always prepared.
yes, another case of negligence. Of course he never should have been given a license in the first place. So let's start there and follow up the chain from there.
If he can't read English, he should not be driving especially with a class A CDL! How did he pass the test? I had my Class A CDL years ago and it always got my adrenaline going on these down hills, especially the great Smokey Mountains! Even in my car driving it was scary as heck! If you layed it on its side there's a possibility other lives could have been lost! This is nothing compared to the Smokey Mountains! Could have taken the guard rail and end up in the median and took out this smaller trees!
You are not required to know English in Florida or Texas , but the excuse of him not knowing in English was just a lie . He can speak and understand English. He spoke to judge pre damn good making excuses for him self .
It's a Federal law. FMCSR Section 391.11(b)(2) says that all drivers must "read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records."
Loved your video. I'm glad you started way before where the driver had plenty of warning to slow down before the six mile decent. This gives folks a different perspective of how he most likely didn't start from a low gear at 45mph. I think the person who approved his license should be liable for putting an inexperienced driver behind that wheel. Young or old, many of us give the proper respect to the dangers that a heavy commercial can do. I think that because of his own selfishness, he cause the death of the poor folks waiting in their cars. He should have laid it on its side no matter what the cost! I'm an proud of all you truckers, bus drivers, and commerical operators who because of your respect for life, you continue keeping this country moving. Mistakes...all of us will make. However, saving a truck vrs saving lives...we will always save life!
Great video, thanks. I drove over 30 years, done 70 east right there many times. But that was very informative for those who never drove that section of I70 and those who never drove trucks.
Almost to the end of your video, and I'm with you 100 percent. Illegals should never be given licenses with no knowledge of English, etc. Thank you for posting this.
His age and being unable to speak or "read" English should have been a clue to whomever gave him a license but He took that responsibility on himself. We all are responsible of whatever actions we take that causes damages to others.
@@elferraz2854 That's not true many states give illegal aliens drivers licenses it's an easy google search and they do it specifically because once you have a drivers license it's very easy to vote!
Nice video, thank you. I'm a 22 year T driver and I actually haul fuel; but I remember working for a food delivery compamy called AmeriServe first job, and going down hill on the great Vine 5 north bound fwy (California) with only a week driving trucks and I lost control of it taking all the lanes and trying to make it to the bottom, I was jung and scared for life. I understand what that kid went through and youre right companies do not train new drivers, I did not know about a run away ramp or what it was for. That kid was provably thinking about so many things that kept him from doing the right thing, like the owner of the truck, what if he crashed his truck and so many other things. This was an awesome video, and your opinion was very well taken.
Southbound on the Grapevine, towards Los Angeles, the descent is clearly marked for 45 mph. Northbound however, the descent is nonstop for six miles. You don't level out and the speed is marked 35 mph. Make sure you're already in a lower gear BEFORE you start the descent because you could miss a shift. The Jake and a lower gear was just professionally shown and demonstrated. Remember this video and everything he said. Watch this a few times. He should be an instructor!
When I got my CDL many years ago a young Mexican guy came in with his Dad. The young man told my instructor that his Dad wanted to get a CDL. My instructor asked if his Dad could read, write and understand English. The young man said no. The instructor said he would not be able to get a CDL!
Thanks for this video! You mentioned several times (correctly) that he came down that grade SCARED ****LESS. This would have caused tunnel vision so I seriously doubt he would have seen any outs from his situation. You also correctly mentioned his youth and inexperience. All of these factors combined with his apparent inability to read English created a perfect storm of incompetency. In my view, the real blame is with a system that would allow this young fellow to operate such a vehicle on the highway. A preventable tragedy all the way around.
As a cdl driver that’s gone over Donner Pass many times but not this one in Colorado I agree with your assessment. It was a perfect storm and if the Texas dmv and his employers didn’t give him and verify he had the right training and capabilities they are very much at fault in this as well.
The camera doesn't show the grade changes very very good. My physics understanding indicates energy management is crucial for a trucker. Nice vid, thanx. :)
That was uncalled for to remark that "a democrate granted him the license"...you were doing so well.... I believe that we need to make the regulations in the trucking license business a bit more stringent. You are correct in claiming that his training was inadequate, and whomever recruited him should have assured that he knew the setting as well as the signage. Thank you for taking the time to create this and explain the environment as you went along. PS...Please leave politics out of the blame game....
Awh did he hurt your colon with that statement? Toughen up pusscake. It turned political when the democratic gov gave that disgusting human being clemency for his homicides, ntm, that happens quite a bit. These illegals come over here & get drivers licenses, mega carriers snatch them up as cheap labor. Oh & so they can vote democratic, cause they who got them here in the first place.
@@Vickvineager Well, well Gomer Pile...good luck...you must be a Christian what was that blonde blue eye jesus?....give me a break...Tell Andy Griffen my hellos...
No he's right .this kid had no business behind the wheel of a truck. Do you know how hard it is for a American to get a cdl? President Bush opened the trucking in us to Mexico and its been a disaster. Years ago the Mexican drivers and American drivers stopped at the border at customs Now they just drive though . And for less money They destroyed the trucking profession for new American drivers who literally have a boot on their necks when they stop at a dot or state trooper
I think he lost gear and could not get back into gear and tried using his brakes til they burned out. If you're out of gear doing 50+mph, how would u recover gear?
You can shove it back into gear after you intentionally roll it over on it's right side and come to a stop. Then you can put it in any gear you'd like.
I've driven several stretches in Colorado mts. in a standard, regular van for work, and Ive driven over 30 years commercially, but let me tell you, the first time I drove Colorado, I never realized how quickly vehicle brakes will heat up on a standard van.....it happens real quick , then your in deep stuff....wheels start shaking, then the whole vehicle starts shaking....I cant imagine how those truckers handle it the first time it happens to them hauling that much weight, plus the fact , these car drivers cut them off continually....brave guys yall are....
1 if the first things you are taught is, BEFORE you start a steep downgrade you get in the proper gear. Whatever gear you use to climb the hill is the gear you should be in on the way down. He made bad decisions after he burnt his brakes. That’s the part where he messed up. I have driven the same stretch with oversized loads. And also you have to be able to demonstrate you can READ & UNDERSTAND ENGLISH enough to read signs on the roads to get a CDL in the US. I would always choose to lose my life before I took someones life that did not deserve it!
Perhaps it is because I was raised with the code of "One life for ten" but had he shot his truck off the mountain, than four people would still be here.
Most automatic transmissions allow you to keep them in a lower gear, and engine braking works quite well when you do. However, the vast majority of car drivers just keep it in drive and ride the brake on downhills. On a car, this usually won't get the brakes hot enough to get you in trouble like it will in a big rig, but it does cause a lot of unnecessary wear on the brakes.
Wow! Where I live and where my dad taught me to drive,we don't have many big hills, but on vacation drives in the mountains I learned from him to gear down in an automatic while going downhill,and then to not let the car get out from under you... Then pick up speed at the bottom to get momentum to make it up the next hill.
They will sue that company big time. There's no excuse for that company to hire someone that can't read or speak english. His stupidity and inexperience caused those people to die.
The driver didn't just wonder into the U.S. and find a loophole in the system to get his license, somebody rolled out the red carpet for him and that somebody needs to be locked up for life. The driver is not as guilty as the people that gave him the license. Hey, if they hand out CDL's like candy in the U.S., it must not be too dangerous out there, right? The driver probably trusted their judgment, but what he didn't know is they were exploiting and profiting from his ignorance just like they do in every other business in this country.
No foreign truck driver should ever drive on US highways without having a very good understanding of what the English on the road signs is telling them period! I'll always wonder if he had understood the signs if the people who perished would still be alive.
Federal regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles in Interstate commerce require the following(those it seems common for State licensing officials to ignore): FMCSA 391.11(b)(2) Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records;
The hill didn't contribute anything but momentum to an inexperienced driver that failed to obey the signs, failed to opt for the truck ramps and continued to lose control. Tens of thousands of truck navigate that grade every year without loosing control and killing four people in a fireball.
Hey I watched your video you made some good points I'm not a trucker but I do use a CB on my motorcycle so tell me what your opinion is of all these fleet trucks that are not equipped CB radios and do you think it increases they're likelihood and getting into weather related crashes or other big accidents that they're not notified ahead of time like truckers were letting each other know in years back is that increasing liability?
i have quite a few winter driving vids as that was all i did in my early days of youtube, but as soon as the snow starts flying again.. i will be posting all of them.. thanks for watching,,
Been on that downhill several times in my 27 years OTR. Appreciate you being professional while video rolls, i.e. not in the left lane. Although many want to blame others for the drivers actions or inaction, the real blame is on the driver. He obtained his CDL agreeing he could read, write & speak English, which was a lie. Therefore he obtained his CDL through fraudulent means. Americans are always looking to blame others, when we should be taking responsibility for our actions. Nothing but excuses when we blame others for what results in tragedy. My heart goes out to the families of the four innocent people who lost their lives, not the fool who caused the mayhem...
Wow i am not even a trucker but this are exactly my thoughts. This guy was poorly trained and cant read the warnings. I heard that many cubans buy (yes, BUY)their cdl after coming here illegally. Many of them work in the oilfield here in west texas. They have a terrible reputation.
So im in Texas right now. Big yellow neon sign say’s it’s raining up ahead use extreme caution on curve’s. A middle eastern in a big truck about 5 miles away slide in the corner and across the medium and hit an rv killing people. Im certain he couldn’t read English or was taught correctly
An industry that simply cannot continue to be obsessed with cheap freight and cheap labor. Not a political issue but rather an economy obsessed with economy.
Inexperienced or "new" drivers sometimes get given older trucks to drive, ones without a Jake brake. Early in my driving career I descended the infamous Toowoomba range in an old '71 model truck, beautifully maintained; about 26 tonnes, 4 axels, but no jake brake. The sign at the top of the range stated, "all heavy vehicles must use low gear" The warning sign is in English only. I selected 6th ,low range, out of a 15 speed road ranger box, and set sail down a steep decline. In no time flat that Cat straight turbo 6 diesel was red lining, so I had to use my brakes as well. I kept an eye on the west coast mirrors, and sure enough, about half way down the range, the brakes, they started smokin' up. Common sense said pull into one of the rest areas, and give 'em half an hour to cool down, I could do without a tire fire! On the next trip the Company gave me a much newer truck, with jake brakes that I could adjust the amount of retard that I deemed necessary. Needless to say, it wasn't nearly as stressful, and I sailed down the range a bit faster and safer; without even touching the brakes.
Born and raised in Colorado. Learned to drive on this highway in the mountains. Still hate to drive the high country. It's crazy. Very dangerous roadway.
The road isn't dangerous. It's the drivers that are dangerous. In dry, clear weather following the posted speed limits and other signage will get you safely where you're going. But no, so many people ignore the speed limits. In bad weather, they don't slow down, either.
Getting my licence in the Netherlands nobody thought me anything about driving down mountains but it is legal to drive a truck all around Europe. I was lucky to have some 2 man jobs with an old-timer to teach me the ropes .
Oh my word! Democrats didn't give him nothing. If this driver wants to blame someone other than the driver then put it city or state examiner who issued his cdl.
Agreed. Both Republicans and Dems are equally guilty of letting trash like this into the country. Wonder what this guy was getting paid? I'm sure it had a negative effect on other drivers.
You drove by my neighborhood in this video. This is a very good video explaining the hazards of driving into Denver from the mountains on I-70. But I don’t think any video can effectively show how steep that east bound section is.
I drove past the accident (westbound) about a half hour after it happened. It was unbelievable. Could not understand why he chose to take the right side instead of going into the median and rolled it. Could've saved lives. I drive down and up that hill almost daily for work and leisure and just about every day there's a semi at the bottom sitting on the side of the highway with brakes smoking or on fire. These flat-landers have got to learn mountain driving in a semi.
That's the damn truth. Wouldn't wonna do it without experience. Training is key. Mile posts and signs are a reminder of you better know what the hell your doing. I'm old school and if you tell me you gotta be ready approaching that mile marker it's time to slow down and apply the Jake. Swear to God I would hid that message because my life depended on it. A perfect example of luck of training
Great video. At about 18:40 under the bridge you can see the pavement is darker which is where it was replaced due to the accident damage. I'm not a truck driver and maybe that guy wasn't trained for mountains but hills and needing to downshift is pretty much everywhere. It sounds like that guy just stood on his brakes the whole time. One news report said he was hitting about 80-90mph by the Genesee exit and runaway ramp right after it, twice the truck speed limit. I also wondered if he could have slowed or stopped by using the grassy center median and downshifting right before the accident scene. I hope the guy never gets behind a wheel of any vehicle when he gets out. Let's not forget after he got out of his truck he asked to borrow a phone so he could get a ride from a friend and leave the scene.
I think due to the truck being over speed he was unable to get truck in a low gear ... tractor trailer trucks don't shift like a normal vehicle. Add in inexperience plus 30,000-40,000lbs and toasted brakes = unfortunate events.
I don't comment here often... rarely at all, but this one is worthy of comment. This really does show the crazy grade and its long distance... Thanks for posting this.
When my commercial license was brand new, and I had secured my first OTR job, one thing I wanted to do was roll with a trainer during winter. I wanted the experience of not only mountain driving, but also adverse conditions, while training. During that time, I drove through Wyoming, Montana, Cabbage Patch Hill - where I saw another truck smoking his brakes at the end, all in the ice and snow. In addition to the Great Smoky Mountains. It was a time well chosen. So to any prospective truckers out there, make the most of your time as a rookie and consider winter training. Unless someone wants to throw you out there solo first, while you’re still wet behind the ears, but I wouldn’t advise it. Nobody bothered to train that Cuban driver very well and look where he is.
You're running Jake's, did the other truck even have them? What is your weight vs the weight of the other truck? Both would make a difference between slowing down and speeding up.
Thank you for making this. For all we know he may have toasted those brakes right out of the tunnel. 10yrs OTR here (‘92-‘02) and only went that way once. I’m still trying to figure out why there was no smoke coming off his brakes in the video of him cutting off the car in that curve. Air leak? Glad hand came off? 🤷♂️. 10 years ain’t enough. The people who survived with life-altering injuries sure got a life sentence - just ask Estes about that one they had in OH. Owner of the truck should face more than civil penalties, too. Liability limits have been the same for how long??(!)
He was in a hurry to make time and did stop because of brake issues twice and went on. He then went out of control. Hugging the steering wheel and closing his eyes as he crashed instead of going off the road
Exactly. And Puerto Rico has hills. It had nothing to do with this drivers ability to understand a sign with a hill and silhouette of a truck on it. He was simply a bad driver who obviously shouldn’t of been driving a truck period. The OP wants to blame Democrats. How about blaming the companies that hire them ?
Some great insight on a tragic event. This should highlight the need for professional training for professional drivers. Sadly, I don't feel as safe with some of today's undertrained drivers as I did years ago. And seeing the immigrants take to driving commercial vehicles in the numbers that I have seen of late is more cause for concern. Some are true professionals, but many don't have the combination of skills, knowledge, training and experience to be in charge of the loads they get and the terrain they may face. It's sad that too many freight operators are cool with cutting corners to just fill a seat. Thanks again for the detailed plight of this poor kid.
I have seen white American people born in this country grew up here in the United States in big accidents and big fatalities also so I don’t think it has to do with who you are The problem in this country is that people get those jobs only because they know somebody in the company or is family of somebody working already there and that is the way people get hire in this country and that habit has to end.
Mike, do we really know the guy's motives. At 23 years old, some people are pretty mature at 16, some others are still adolescents. I see the wide range of opinions in the comments. Can you give us a follow up? Did he really go into the job blind or not care? When you said he was clearly scared shitless I tend to believe what you figured. So glad we used to have the "CB News" when we were younger. In airplane-ese we say "Bank now, lest the mountain rise up and smite thee." Same idea.
@@alexgonzalez6371 ,Are you kidding us,since the early 2000s big companies have been training foreigners and most can't truly speak or read fluent English let alone operate a simple 10 speed,let alone a splitter with a high/low ,meaning a 13,15 or 18,driving a 18 wheeler at 80,000 pounds is a skill and let me tell you something back in the day we good old American farm raised boys knew the skill and passion of trucking!
This video only shows the last eight miles of the grade before accident. The grade averages 5+% for 45 miles before he had the collision. There is only one substantial uphill grade in that 45 mile stretch (Floyd Hill), 2 miles west of Idaho Springs. He should have used the runaway ramp, he should have turned into the Jersey Wall (concrete barrier on the right side of highway). I have made over 3000 trips in trucks between Denver and Grand Junction, the man earned every day of the over 100+ year sentence, with his total disregard of life and property
Thanks for taking the time in explaining the video. Very sad not only for him but for the family that lost their family as well. Sad tragedy for all of us. My condolences to all the family that were involved in this horrific trajedy.
I was all down to subscribe to your channel until you started in on blaming a democrat for giving a CDL to a man that lost control of his rig. Just to let you know, there were a few vets who were in my training class that were there on the GI Bill. Also, the training teaches us to pass the state tests not how to drive down mountains or how to drive in the snow. That’s why we need more companies and good mentors to teach new recruits, so brakes won’t overheat when on downgrade.
I've been down that hill many of times loaded heavy with the jake brake on max , every time my speed picked up 5 mph I would apply the brakes and reduce my speed by 5 mph and repeat the process to control my descent going down the hill👍🏿
I just became a truck driver a couple of months ago. I remember reading about decelerating 5mph and then gaining speed again, while studying for my test. I live in the flatlands of Texas so ive never had to use the jake brake excessively like how you’re mentioning. When you say you had the jake brake at max, do you mean you were literally pulling down the chicken stick all the way because that’s how much speed you would gain on these hilly mountains?
@@SanMario95 Maximum is #3 and gives the engine maximum braking effect and works best in the upper rpm range like 1500-2000 rpm so basically when downshifting (if you have manual transmission) the jake brake can dam near bring the truck to a stop on flat ground without applying the service brakes
@@SanMario95 Have only had a problem once, beginning of my training period, but before I developed the sense of speed from high the cab. First load, driving down a hill in Kentucky I happened to look down, noticed I had drifted up to 82 (governed at 67). Not the steepest hill, so I was able to haul it back down OK. From then on I made a point of topping hills slow, applying jake (setting as appropriate), and braking as previously described on the way down. Since then I've also upped my trip planning game with tablet based Google maps, street view, satellite, NWS radar with a paper Rand McNally, all of which I now consider essential for proactively dealing with known hazards, like these steep hills.
@@SanMario95 the jake brake works independently of the service brakes on the truck. It’s a mechanical device installed on the engine that allows the engine to use compression to slow down the vehicle.
Ive been in that area a million times. You know when your brakes are fading, you take immediate action. He didnt. Hes in the wrong. People are dead and injured!! You are the professional, its your ass!!
My nephew started driving a big rig at 21. He was trained for so many weeks and then on his own. The first company he drove for had him up North. Indiana, Ohio, Detroit, Kentucky, etc. Well, he had little experience driving in snow at night and day. No experience with hills, or mountains. He felt he was in over his head and wasn't prepared enough to tackle these feats. He decidedly left that job and chose one that would help him be more experience, and learn how to make quick decisions to protect his life and others. To truly handle a huge vehicle like that should not be taken lightly. He now drives with another company but with care and considerable caution. "A hill delayed is not a hill denied." One day they shall meet and he plan on being the victor.
Thats a smart thing to do what your nephew did. I've got 30 years of driving trucks all over the US and in Germany. I would not recommend a newbie driver start out over the road or even regional. You will experience too many situations too quickly, before you're ready. Start local and gain experience in the truck first. Once you've got all the basics of truck operation mastered then go out on the road. To be over the road or regional, especially up north, you need to know how to drive mountains, cities, twisty country roads, and in snow and ice. But if you haven't first mastered the rig itself you'll be biting off more than you can chew. I learned the hard way. I started driving in Germany while stationed in the Army. Snow and ice, mountains, tiny villages with twisty roads, the autobahn etc. Somehow I made it through with no incidents and by the time I came home I was ready for anything but I dont recommend that for anyone. Crawl before you walk, walk before you run, run before you fly.
When you were filming this. How many times did you apply throttle from the top of Genesee to the accident site or did you coast applying brake as necessary .
In looking for an update on this, I found out the driver received a 110 year sentence for the deaths of the four victims. It was considered a crime of violence, and such crimes in Colorado require consecutive sentences. The judge said it was not his wish, but he had to follow the law. On Dec 22, 2021 the prosecutors in the case filed for a reduction in his sentence.
colorado has the min max sentencing laws...they cant change this young mans sentence WITHOUT changing this barbaric law...if they do..they will HAVE to CHANGE it for thousands who were sentenced under this LAW...
@@chrisfoxwell4128 you are 100 percent right...and i do not think his sentence is too much..and if the sentencing is to be reduced BECAUSE of the petition , I say bullshit.....he aint special..and thousands have been over sentenced from the mandatory min. and they have not killed or raped or caused others bodily harm...but no one is trying to change that law . and ,this law IS ment for violent crime and he fits the bill....
With this case when I realized like damn Colorado does have the toughest law just like the theater shooter we got over 3,000 years in prison. I think is too exaggerated in those cases why not just give death sentence. Even Colorado prisons have top leaders of Mexican cartels too if I’m not mistaken
I live here in Colorado, just to note, this guy was offered plea deals which he declined because he felt all he deserved was "just a ticket." His words. This forced the hand of the DA and Judge under Colorado mandatory minimum law. In this instance this law is extreme but for those of us here who have been touched by violent crime...I'm the parent of an Aurora theater survivor...it is a good law. He may get a reduced sentence if the governor steps in but being charged as he was came from his declining offers from the DA.
I have had a CDL since 1982 . I'm sorry and it makes no difference what he says he did it and should pay the price. I'm getting done with all these untrained kids out here on the road being taught the five maneuvers to pass the Driving test by these schools. I hope they set an example and give him life without parole. ANY real driver would have done whatever is required to keep from killing people. Even if that meant just turning right and hoping for the best. Today there are very few professional truck drivers out here just a bunch of steering wheel holders and it sounds like a lot are not even American citizens who read or speak English.
Thanks Shotgun for this video. It was heartbreaking watching a news clip of him on the witness stand. I'm a new driver and watching this video gives me an idea of how to handle steep grades
Hey Mike thanks for showing us, really scary stuff, very eerie, I’ve only been down that hill once, and it was my first time, I did fine, but man , it was nerve wrecking, like you said I can only imagine what he was going through. Thanks again, take are, safe journeys, as usual, I enjoy all your videos. My videos all come in on 1080p, no issues whatsoever! Thanks
@@ridingshotgun1251 A lot of dirt areas in the center median where he could have drove to slow the truck down. He probably wasn't sufficiently trained, but I can't believe that the CDL test didn't include how to use a runaway truck ramp, and I'm sure he could read the 45 MPH speed limit sign that almost all truckers ignore. I've met a lot of people from Cuba, and they all speak English very well. They must teach it there, and it must be spoken there a lot. You are right though, there are others to blame, also. The government (police), for not enforcing truck speed limits; there should be ZERO tolerance when enforcing traffic laws for truckers. They are professional drivers and are controlling a potential lethal weapon. The testing and training is probably lacking, also. But anything less than 20 years with no early release would be an injustice. I've been cut off way too many times by truckers coming over right in front of me into the fast lane going 55 MPH when I'm going 75 to have a whole lot of sympathy for truckers. I drive I-70 a lot, including that specific area, and I know how dangerous many truckers drive. Just recently I was in the fast lane coming down the mountain in that area where the speed limit for cars is 65, and 45 for trucks. I was going 75 in the fast lane while some cars were passing me. There was a semi-truck right on my rear going 75. So I slowed down to 70 and didn't let him pass. If there was zero tolerance for enforcing traffic laws for truckers, they would all get used to it fairly quickly and the roads would be much safer. A little attitude adjustment is needed. Truckers are not the most important people on the road, their priority should be the safety of others, driving safe and courteous. We all pay truckers to deliver the goods that we are buying. We pay them to deliver it safely and within the law. Slow down a little, truckers. And stop cutting everybody off. There needs to be some kind of emergency stop for trucks. An extra emergency brake on the axle or something.
@@robertvandenbrink5884 Injustice was just done. I hope all the truckers straighten up, because I drive on the highway all the time, and from now on I'm calling 911 every single time I see a trucker break a traffic law, which is very often.
@@kriscoloradolv Yeah and if you mention to his fans that your a vet they say your FAKE! Had that happen on a liberal website that I no longer subscribe I have FOX banned on my RUclips! You get idiots claiming no signs and not in english just international image on sign the Dr Rashaad website also makes it sound like the trophy brakes are from the crash which is a lie poor taste yes! Has a vet they are deporting hispanic vets who did not get citizenship after serving in US military which I want them back in America! But these Cowards who come from countries who will not fight but want us to do the dying like CUBA, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Iraq!
Several times a year where I work, we get a rush of trucks coming in to pick up our product and I load them. I see truck drivers all the time who can't speak English and can't even straight line back to our dock with no obstructions. We had one truck pull in one night around 11pm to unload and his box trailer was broken in half with a big section of the side of the trailor ripped completely open and half of the trailer dragging the ground with the stansions. Funny thing was, his concern was if we could still get him unloaded so he could get paid. There was no way we could. We called the police because obviously he had hit something. They arrived and found out that he entered into a State Park next to our plant and hit an enormous tree limb which fractured the trailer. Obviously he couldn't read the State Park sign or the big lit up sign of our company which you can easily see.
There are several here if you haven't found it yet. denver.cbslocal.com/2019/04/26/rogel-lazaro-aguilera-mederos-videos-semi-deadly-crash-interstate-70-crash/
I never run next to or in front of a big rig. When driving I will follow at a safe distance and will run block for truckers who are trying to get over. I have driven hours will behind a big rig and always give them space. They are not driving an SUV and can't stop that fast even empty. Thank you long haul driver's.
I am from Colorado and a veteran (now retired) trucker with 1.7 million miles of accident free miles. Been down that stretch hundreds of times. Why oh why didn’t he take the right hand runaway truck ramp? What a fool.
Question from a non driver: if he didn’t use the ramp, could he have used the exit ramp at 15:30 and then laid it over there? Since there’s a bit of a incline on that and maybe less traffic there?
All drivers need to be able to pass their license test in English. These states need to stop allowing people to take test in Spanish or any other language.
@@ridingshotgun1251 Does it require them to read English or just understand the spoken language? I attended High school back in the late 90s with a boy who's parents were immigrants...possibly illegal Idk. But he was raised in States and he could speak and understand Spanish because his parents spoke it at home. But he couldn't read or write it at all.
We just happen to have been on the same roads in colorado ,utan ,wyoming lately. Inamworking in boulder and either commuting home to temecula or touring and have really enjoyed following your tracks thru those places.thanks for the work and the driving tips.
He worked for a half ass company out of Houston which had multiple SAFTY violations . The owner of that company should be going to prison! It’s now out of business.
I have driven on the busiest freeways on the West Coast and have "NEVER" seen a truck in the fast lane, "it is against the law". I taught my sons and daughters that.
It should absolutely be against the law for a truck to stay in the left lane unless the right lane is blocked for some reason. A truck should never need to go "fast".
Excellent video my friend. Your minute by minute narrative gave a good picture of what happened. I drove the smokey mountain highways many times and keeping your cool/controlling your rig is non-negotiable! 👍👍
I knew a Hispanic women (for about 3 years) a few years back who told me her son did not read English well so he had a friend go to DMV to test for him. She said Hispanics take advantage of these things often because like Asians many have less differences unlike Caucasians who have hair, eye, height and more feature differences. Caucasians are not well trained to see the differences. I knew a Filipino man who added a decade to his age also when he came to the US so he could retire earlier and go back to the Philippines. We just are not worldly enough to discern the differences yet. We look for the usual... hair, eyes, height etc. My point is it may be a legit CDL (not just given arbitrarily) but someone else could have taken the written tests for him.
Friction from the brake pads rubbing on the break disks. The driver applied the breaks way too much in a short period of time making the breaks worthless. I guarantee he had the pedal down to the floor. Operator error.
Wow! Thanks for explaining what happened. One of the Nomads I followed on RUclips was the one that had the video of the truck racing by him on the right. That person was later interviewed by local news media. When I was at the Sturgis motorcycle rally there were accidents of people who were from flat land states that weren’t use to the mountains and curves.
Taz Mod ...absolutely right! Once having a week long business conference/trade show in Las Vegas, I flew west, with my back-east flatland wife, to where I had just lived several previous years. So on our way to Kingman and Flagstaff to see Grande Canyon, we topped the Henderson, NV hill looking down to Hoover Dam in the Valley below! There she panicked and wanted to never go down such a hill! It was better once she realized that I knew mtn roads!
Edward Jones : My sister from Michigan, which I also was from, came to visit me in Oregon. I had already lived there 20 years and had driven many of the coast and mountain roads. Our first site seeing trip was to Sisters from the flat Willamette valley . I zipped up the mountain roads over the Cascade mountains. When we got to Sisters my sister said she was scared the whole way especially when she looked out the window and saw the cliffs down to valleys. I slowed down a little for her going back to the valley. She also didn’t like the coast highway.
Taz Mod ..like in some of those canyons in SoCal, the edge of the road without guardrail is many hundreds feet above canyon floors, & if anyone visits there they likely will never be seen again or even found, if ever they come up missing! Having been thru many of those west USA high places, I always wondered about who may have taken that down & out plunge??
Taz Mod ..ever spend any time in Mich UP? The kewenaw peninsula always fascinated me, at any time of year out in Lake Superior! Liked Eagle River & Copper Harbor best, & Brock Mtn Drive! I once lived in Irish hills area, sw of Ann Arbor, near speedway! Michigan is one of my favorite eastern states! Since you mentioned Michigan, I once had a girlfriend from Port Huron, when I was yet single & lived in Phoenix.
Edward Jones : Been to many of those places. Michigan is still in my heart. Went to forestry school summer camp at Golden Lake back in late 60’s. When I was in First Grade in the 50’s we lived outside of Monterey. I remember dad driving us on a mountain road that had no guard rail and cliff. Scared us.
Thank you for doing this. It was a terrible situation for a young truck driver without training or experience in mountain driving. I am glad his sentence was reduced. Sympathy to the victims' families.
I now understand all these vehicles were in the back-up and none were involved in a prior accident. Wasn't there room on the shoulder for him to go past the back-up instead of ramming them?
I was born and raised in Colorado and these roads are very deceptive, sometimes it feels like you're going downhill when you're going up, sometimes are going uphill when you feel like you're going down. This kid was in over his head and the people who should be going to jail is his company owners who put profits ahead of safety.
I agree! Been down that mountain many times. The signs are correct. The mountain will fool you. 110000 pound truck. Ive been over every pass in colorado and several in washington. In trucks. Mountains are cool but not always our friend.
I live in central Illinois and its flat as can be. Just applied for my intrastate CLP and took my written tests. Not going to drive a Semi, but growing up in Georgia and traveling thru the mountains for many years you definitely gain a different experience with the hills and curves vs people in my local where all roads are straight and flat. That poor kid was setup for failure from the beginning. As are many new drivers and i don't think the new regulation that "Requires" in class training will help, as many of these drivers have that mostly worthless class experience.
I absolutely HATE this grade. I remember when I went down this grade the first time by myself, I was absolutely terrified and I was in a lil sedan. I can't even imagine what I would feel if I was untrained to go down grades in a frikn semi. The entire I 70 can be stressful if you don't know how to handle grades. There are a few grades that twist my stomach up, to this day, driving through I 70 for a decade now. I can't even imagine how stressed out he was by this point.
I have driven a loaded semi through the Eisenhower tunnel and east to Denver twice - once in summer, once in winter. I come from the Pacific Northwest area, and am well accustomed to driving on mountain highways. I found that normal care allowed an easy passage - no big deal if the driver uses common sense.
I find the commenters being very generous and forgiving to the driver who killed 4 people. Witnesses have posted that they saw him driving way too fast (85 MpH estimated) many miles before he came to the hill that led to the scene of the wreck, swerving in and out of traffic and cutting off other vehicles. If such reports of his speed and reckless driving are correct, it is no wonder he burned up his brakes and lost control.
Drivers fault no matter what u don’t know how to handle a load on grade stay in the east or Midwest west coast mountains are no child’s play you all wouldn’t be so forgiving if he killed your wife or son or daughter
I watched his first appearance in court, he was sitting with his lawyer, and an interpreter. The interpreter was translating every word. The driver at the very least couldn't understand, or speak English. He shouldn't have been driving a big truck.
Sunna beech sheet
Whoever gave him his license should be held responsible as well. It is federally required that you read and write English to obtain a Class A CDL.
just this Wednesday June 12, 2019 I stopped at the Colonial Hts Va Pilot, walked around the parking lot and the first three driver I attempted to communicate with spoke little or no english. One was twenty years from the Ukraine, and two Hispanics. I stood near the fuel desk, listened and my think us no more than 60% are English competent. How do you instruct in the use of jake brakes, propper steep grade preperations ect. with the barrier of language.
The harsh truth is you are getting as much safty as the companys are willing to pay for, in both driver experiance and maintenance.
@robin peppin This is bullshit, every single American is responsible for this. Every. Single. One.
@@theseventysevenmiles
I differ with you on your statement...
Every single DUMB-O-CRAT is responsible for this
Been down that hill many times. And as is seen in this video, there are too many hot shots who exceed the 45 mph limit zipping around Mike - which is probably OK to a degree if everything goes perfectly. My experience is that when you're expecting things to go perfectly THAT'S precisely when they DON'T. That observation and my respect for it has saved my butt more than a few times. Good video, Mike!
Hope for the best. Plan for the worst.
Yep! People don’t think about the unknown…. If you loose a steer tire while doing 60 down Veil, you’re screwed
you said down many times, the young man first time to colorado after driving 1-year local texas what they do to him is injustice and all these videos a big misleading people, that hill is about speed and weight of a load.
@@eduardoarcas8484 With what you say about the injustice done to Rogel Aguilera, I couldn’t agree more! A 23 year old kid put into a position he was never properly trained or prepared to handle. My heart aches for him. The enablers of this disaster are the ones who should be in jail, not Rogel. First of all, he was not sufficiently fluent in English to have even legitimately passed the CDL test based on his need for an interpreter in his original hearing. NOT his fault! Secondly he had apparently had no mountain training at all; a recipe for disaster when one is handling a semi-truck and trailer loaded to capacity with lumber on a busy mountainous interstate highway. Properly learning mountain driving is NOT an “on the job training” exercise for the same reason that learning to land an airliner with 100 passengers is not an “on the job training” exercise! There are NO “do overs” if a mistake is made. Again not his fault!
Yes, you’re right. That hill like ALL hills is about speed, weight and load. And like ALL hills if you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s best to at a minimum “go by the book” which includes following the recommended speed limits. Of course, that might cost you an extra 2½ - 3 minutes out of a 6 hour drive, but to me at least, the extra 3 minutes beats an extra 2 or 3 days because you had to lay the rig on its side or something.
If a truck zips around you going downhill it's probably empty, light, and an experienced driver but not always. When empty you can go downhill faster without frying the brakes. But there's still a limit.
Really appreciate you driving properly and following the suggested speeds. That level of professionalism is not very common in the industry today. Lots of brake use, over speed and improper gear selection is all too common.
In 2019 I bought my first RV, a 36ft 5th wheel. Being raised in Florida I had never driven in mountains, let alone pull a trailer. My grandfather was an OTR driver for 35 years hauling out of Omaha and running to the east coast. I listened to his stories of the road as I grew up. Watching your videos is like listening to him. I have been able to apply the wisdom you share with us to my towing. I love Colorado and haven't been nervous on any road we've traveled,... yet. I love the Million Dollar Highway. Monarch Pass is beautiful. Having the right equipment and respecting the road, the conditions, and those you share the road with are a must. I used to be a crew member for a race team that ran endurance races. Our motto was, " to finish first, first you must finish". Speed doesn't always win the race.
My sister works as a accident - claim - investigator for a large trucking company in Illinois for 20 years ! She begs everyone in our family to stay away from trucks on the road anymore!
I've looked at the accident pictures on her phone sent from the seen of accidents across the united States and now I stay away! the younger drivers of today are untrained and dangerous ! Thanks for the ride and stay safe !
I always give trucks all the space I can when driving being sure to let them in and out where I can
I just read the Colorado CDL manual and passed all endorsements except hazmat and school bus which i did not take. The first three sections are really focused on basic driving and safety for commercial vehicles. IMO, it should be part of the written test for non commercial vehicles for awareness and I think every driver should have to retake the written test at least every five years. I see people constantly make illegal turns and cut off CMV's etc. I'm 60, when I leaned to drive in Colorado people mostly obeyed traffic laws and common sense safety. Those days are long gone
Nice generalization putting all young people into a category of being unprofessional and untrained. Some of these people you speak of have families and want to return to them also.
@Chicago Joe overwhelming majority of people when they get into truck-driving they start at a young age. Most drivers are safe that includes younger ones. It doesn't matter if you're old or younger when you get into the profession. You're still a rookie and have a lot to learn.
One day people will take some of the blame in the drivers and put it towards the companies that try to push you out to make them money as fast as they can
I've driven big rig heavy haul for 34 years and been on the road 100s of times..no accidents ever.
And so have a 100k other
can you place a link to the video you reference in your description?
This man didn't even touch his brakes going downhill,he USED THE ENGINE BRAKE,which is what your supposed to do
Big FACTSSSSSS
True! I always have my engine brake on all the time just in case something pops up.
Hard to find compression brakes anymore. Noise ordinances everywhere. Idiots.
Thank you for sharing this video. Many of us have wondered why he just kept rolling down the road. Should have ditched that truck long before the accident. And for yourself, thank you for being a responsible driver!
Nice points. Started driving in 2001. Everyday in my mind im searching a way out of potential accidents. The company is the problem. Training is the best defense.
Exactly one of the best things my old boss instilled in my mind is always look for a way out
Amen!
I’ve never driven a semi but I’ve wondered that same thing you talked about jerking the steering hard left to flip the semi on its right side. Would it be possible to do that on a straight section of road or do you need a curve to do that? In the late 1980’s I drove past the scene of a gasoline tanker vs a car in which the guy in the car didn’t live. The tanker trailer that was hauling gasoline blew up and it looked like a giant pop can that had been blown up by a strong firecracker. The odd angle intersection was later replaced by an overpass.
Yes, in a safe area if you have your drivers license and no one is near you drive 10, 15, 20mph max and turn the wheel 90 degrees one direction then 180
Then 180 again unless your in a flat low to the ground sports car it will rock and if you do it hard enough you can roll your own vehicle. Big trucks are severely top heavy and that makes it much easier
I just read an updated account of the accident from July 12, 2019 in the Denver Post. The most interesting piece of info is that a similar vehicle was cited for unsafe driving by witnesses some hours before the crash, ~50 miles south of the Wyoming border. Not surprisingly the company owners have also been cited for "multiple vehicle maintenance violations in the previous 24 months, including on brakes or brake systems." So, as usual, it was an accident going someplace to happen. Very sad for the victims & their families.
I started out team driving which was a big crutch. I was fresh out of training with the knowledge to manage the mountains in Utah, Wyoming and California. I was in no way well trained for what I experienced. I used my training to get up and down safe. It was very scary and stressful. I overcame my mountain driving fears by driving solo. Sounds crazy but it made me overcome those fears and learn not be scared but smart. I used all my training and put it into my driving I was a cop so I knew how to drive in stressful situations. Different type training in all professions, but each day I learn something new.
he was a legal immanent DOT requirement they checked my green card three time ( when I got my permit, when I singed up at CDL school and at the driving test). God bless us all and get us to our families safe and happy. Drive safe brothers
Green Card??? Are you a Resident Alien?
Love the views. Thank you for taking us through to hazards of driving a loud through the mountains. As an car driver I learned from a trucker the many problems and set backs to driving a loaded trailer. He even let me drive for a bit over an hour. I loved it. But back then women driver's weren't really driving unless they had family. I would have loved it because I always prided myself on learning every aspect of driving. I never got stuck in the snow. Always carried a shovel, car jack, booster cables and could change my own oil and filter. Change flats check all fluids and change my own wiper blades. My Dad made sure I was always prepared.
Immigrants who wants to drive any commercial trucks or semi should be able to read, write and understand english
Gone are the days of Eddie Rabbit, cowboy hats and a tight knit industry
yes, another case of negligence. Of course he never should have been given a license in the first place. So let's start there and follow up the chain from there.
Absolutely
So he can’t understand road signs??!!
At least enough to pass a written test and know the signs
If he can't read English, he should not be driving especially with a class A CDL! How did he pass the test? I had my Class A CDL years ago and it always got my adrenaline going on these down hills, especially the great Smokey Mountains! Even in my car driving it was scary as heck! If you layed it on its side there's a possibility other lives could have been lost! This is nothing compared to the Smokey Mountains! Could have taken the guard rail and end up in the median and took out this smaller trees!
How in the hell was someone who couldn’t read or speak English allowed to drive a truck in this country???? WTAF?! 😳🤦🏼♀️
You are not required to know English in Florida or Texas , but the excuse of him not knowing in English was just a lie . He can speak and understand English. He spoke to judge pre damn good making excuses for him self .
@@rdavila26 Federal CDL regulations require the ability to communicate in English.
This guy was coached by his ambulance chasers to act illiterate in court!
No sir , since the U.S. doesn’t have a mandatory language. States like Texas n Florida , give the test in Spanish or English
It's a Federal law. FMCSR Section 391.11(b)(2) says that all drivers must "read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records."
I just use my Jake all the way down and a low gear
Exactly.
Loved your video. I'm glad you started way before where the driver had plenty of warning to slow down before the six mile decent. This gives folks a different perspective of how he most likely didn't start from a low gear at 45mph. I think the person who approved his license should be liable for putting an inexperienced driver behind that wheel.
Young or old, many of us give the proper respect to the dangers that a heavy commercial can do. I think that because of his own selfishness, he cause the death of the poor folks waiting in their cars. He should have laid it on its side no matter what the cost!
I'm an proud of all you truckers, bus drivers, and commerical operators who because of your respect for life, you continue keeping this country moving.
Mistakes...all of us will make. However, saving a truck vrs saving lives...we will always save life!
Where can I find video 😁👍
Great video, thanks. I drove over 30 years, done 70 east right there many times. But that was very informative for those who never drove that section of I70 and those who never drove trucks.
Almost to the end of your video, and I'm with you 100 percent. Illegals should never be given licenses with no knowledge of English, etc.
Thank you for posting this.
illegals are not able to get licenses, you need to have at least a work permit to maybe get a driving license of any type
His age and being unable to speak or "read" English should have been a clue to whomever gave him a license but He took that responsibility on himself. We all are responsible of whatever actions we take that causes damages to others.
@@elferraz2854 That's not true many states give illegal aliens drivers licenses it's an easy google search and they do it specifically because once you have a drivers license it's very easy to vote!
@@richtheory. - In Utah it's actually easier for a illegal immigrant to get a license than a citizen.
@@elferraz2854 the girl I dated....worked for dude that got illegals a lic for $500. each. You think some dmv was getting % for each one..bet on it.
Nice video, thank you. I'm a 22 year T driver and I actually haul fuel; but I remember working for a food delivery compamy called AmeriServe first job, and going down hill on the great Vine 5 north bound fwy (California) with only a week driving trucks and I lost control of it taking all the lanes and trying to make it to the bottom, I was jung and scared for life. I understand what that kid went through and youre right companies do not train new drivers, I did not know about a run away ramp or what it was for. That kid was provably thinking about so many things that kept him from doing the right thing, like the owner of the truck, what if he crashed his truck and so many other things. This was an awesome video, and your opinion was very well taken.
Southbound on the Grapevine, towards Los Angeles, the descent is clearly marked for 45 mph. Northbound however, the descent is nonstop for six miles. You don't level out and the speed is marked 35 mph.
Make sure you're already in a lower gear BEFORE you start the descent because you could miss a shift. The Jake and a lower gear was just professionally shown and demonstrated. Remember this video and everything he said. Watch this a few times. He should be an instructor!
When I got my CDL many years ago a young Mexican guy came in with his Dad. The young man told my instructor that his Dad wanted to get a CDL. My instructor asked if his Dad could read, write and understand English. The young man said no. The instructor said he would not be able to get a CDL!
That's how it should be. Those who gave that kid his license should be held accountable.. ☮️
@@ridingshotgun1251 texas gave it to him. Red states don't have regulations
Thanks for this video! You mentioned several times (correctly) that he came down that grade SCARED ****LESS. This would have caused tunnel vision so I seriously doubt he would have seen any outs from his situation. You also correctly mentioned his youth and inexperience. All of these factors combined with his apparent inability to read English created a perfect storm of incompetency. In my view, the real blame is with a system that would allow this young fellow to operate such a vehicle on the highway. A preventable tragedy all the way around.
As a cdl driver that’s gone over Donner Pass many times but not this one in Colorado I agree with your assessment. It was a perfect storm and if the Texas dmv and his employers didn’t give him and verify he had the right training and capabilities they are very much at fault in this as well.
The company that put him in that situation shipped have known better
You just said what I wanted to say. Except you articulated it better than I could!
Very well said..... I watched this whole entire video and I wouldn't wonna be there without experience.
makes me question how he passed test to get a license? or did he even have one
The camera doesn't show the grade changes very very good. My physics understanding indicates energy management is crucial for a trucker. Nice vid, thanx. :)
That was uncalled for to remark that "a democrate granted him the license"...you were doing so well.... I believe that we need to make the regulations in the trucking license business a bit more stringent. You are correct in claiming that his training was inadequate, and whomever recruited him should have assured that he knew the setting as well as the signage. Thank you for taking the time to create this and explain the environment as you went along. PS...Please leave politics out of the blame game....
Wow! Was coming to comment the same thing. He went into a political rant to prove the point of the accident. Classic.
Awh did he hurt your colon with that statement? Toughen up pusscake. It turned political when the democratic gov gave that disgusting human being clemency for his homicides, ntm, that happens quite a bit. These illegals come over here & get drivers licenses, mega carriers snatch them up as cheap labor. Oh & so they can vote democratic, cause they who got them here in the first place.
@@Vickvineager Well, well Gomer Pile...good luck...you must be a Christian what was that blonde blue eye jesus?....give me a break...Tell Andy Griffen my hellos...
No he's right .this kid had no business behind the wheel of a truck.
Do you know how hard it is for a American to get a cdl?
President Bush opened the trucking in us to Mexico and its been a disaster.
Years ago the Mexican drivers and American drivers stopped at the border at customs
Now they just drive though .
And for less money
They destroyed the trucking profession for new American drivers who literally have a boot on their necks when they stop at a dot or state trooper
I think he lost gear and could not get back into gear and tried using his brakes til they burned out. If you're out of gear doing 50+mph, how would u recover gear?
You can shove it back into gear after you intentionally roll it over on it's right side and come to a stop. Then you can put it in any gear you'd like.
@@numbzinger350 Good answer
I've driven several stretches in Colorado mts. in a standard, regular van for work, and Ive driven over 30 years commercially, but let me tell you, the first time I drove Colorado, I never realized how quickly vehicle brakes will heat up on a standard van.....it happens real quick , then your in deep stuff....wheels start shaking, then the whole vehicle starts shaking....I cant imagine how those truckers handle it the first time it happens to them hauling that much weight, plus the fact , these car drivers cut them off continually....brave guys yall are....
1 if the first things you are taught is, BEFORE you start a steep downgrade you get in the proper gear. Whatever gear you use to climb the hill is the gear you should be in on the way down. He made bad decisions after he burnt his brakes. That’s the part where he messed up. I have driven the same stretch with oversized loads. And also you have to be able to demonstrate you can READ & UNDERSTAND ENGLISH enough to read signs on the roads to get a CDL in the US. I would always choose to lose my life before I took someones life that did not deserve it!
@@Airborne490513 Yep....thats def the proper attitude....take it over the side of the mt. before you hurt someone
Perhaps it is because I was raised with the code of "One life for ten" but had he shot his truck off the mountain, than four people would still be here.
Beautiful driving. Nice to see a real proffessional. Engine braking should be taught when doing a car licence but I guess automatics stopped that.
Most automatic transmissions allow you to keep them in a lower gear, and engine braking works quite well when you do. However, the vast majority of car drivers just keep it in drive and ride the brake on downhills. On a car, this usually won't get the brakes hot enough to get you in trouble like it will in a big rig, but it does cause a lot of unnecessary wear on the brakes.
Wow! Where I live and where my dad taught me to drive,we don't have many big hills, but on vacation drives in the mountains I learned from him to gear down in an automatic while going downhill,and then to not let the car get out from under you... Then pick up speed at the bottom to get momentum to make it up the next hill.
They will sue that company big time. There's no excuse for that company to hire someone that can't read or speak english. His stupidity and inexperience caused those people to die.
The driver didn't just wonder into the U.S. and find a loophole in the system to get his license, somebody rolled out the red carpet for him and that somebody needs to be locked up for life. The driver is not as guilty as the people that gave him the license. Hey, if they hand out CDL's like candy in the U.S., it must not be too dangerous out there, right? The driver probably trusted their judgment, but what he didn't know is they were exploiting and profiting from his ignorance just like they do in every other business in this country.
I feel the same way. Never could figure out how those guys get a license when they can't even speak English
Heads should roll for allowing unqualified foreign nationals into this country.
No foreign truck driver should ever drive on US highways without having a very good understanding of what the English on the road signs is telling them period! I'll always wonder if he had understood the signs if the people who perished would still be alive.
Federal regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles in Interstate commerce require the following(those it seems common for State licensing officials to ignore): FMCSA 391.11(b)(2) Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records;
The hill didn't contribute anything but momentum to an inexperienced driver that failed to obey the signs, failed to opt for the truck ramps and continued to lose control. Tens of thousands of truck navigate that grade every year without loosing control and killing four people in a fireball.
He's a rookie and more then likely his first time on the big hills so cut the kid a break mr perfect fucktard
@@williamrobinson7555 You don't get a break when you kill 4 people you get jail time
@@williamrobinson7555 he doesn't deserve mercy neither do the liberal jackoffs that gave him a license
Thank you
@@williamrobinson7555 thoes 4 people are dead forever...they did not get a break..
Hey I watched your video you made some good points I'm not a trucker but I do use a CB on my motorcycle so tell me what your opinion is of all these fleet trucks that are not equipped CB radios and do you think it increases they're likelihood and getting into weather related crashes or other big accidents that they're not notified ahead of time like truckers were letting each other know in years back is that increasing liability?
Your speed going down should match the speed of the trucks going up!
That,s correct. Any truck driver knows that. Have a great day.
That's something from experience
Stated in the CDL handbook, 1 gear lower than going up!
U right brother
That’s for noobs. No one experienced follows that rule because that’s ridiculous. You come down at speed experience tells you to come down at
Do you have an Auto/Manual Transmission?
Can you do another video about mountain driving in winter
i have quite a few winter driving vids as that was all i did in my early days of youtube, but as soon as the snow starts flying again.. i will be posting all of them.. thanks for watching,,
Been on that downhill several times in my 27 years OTR. Appreciate you being professional while video rolls, i.e. not in the left lane. Although many want to blame others for the drivers actions or inaction, the real blame is on the driver. He obtained his CDL agreeing he could read, write & speak English, which was a lie. Therefore he obtained his CDL through fraudulent means. Americans are always looking to blame others, when we should be taking responsibility for our actions. Nothing but excuses when we blame others for what results in tragedy. My heart goes out to the families of the four innocent people who lost their lives, not the fool who caused the mayhem...
Wow i am not even a trucker but this are exactly my thoughts. This guy was poorly trained and cant read the warnings. I heard that many cubans buy (yes, BUY)their cdl after coming here illegally. Many of them work in the oilfield here in west texas. They have a terrible reputation.
he agreed he coul read anglish and nobody proofs that? he needs somebody to translate and they dont notice?
I actually took my road test for my first CDL right there. So many years ago....
So im in Texas right now. Big yellow neon sign say’s it’s raining up ahead use extreme caution on curve’s. A middle eastern in a big truck about 5 miles away slide in the corner and across the medium and hit an rv killing people. Im certain he couldn’t read English or was taught correctly
An industry that simply cannot continue to be obsessed with cheap freight and cheap labor. Not a political issue but rather an economy obsessed with economy.
do you have a link to the video of this crash?
Inexperienced or "new" drivers sometimes get given older trucks to drive,
ones without a Jake brake.
Early in my driving career I descended the infamous Toowoomba range in an old '71 model truck, beautifully maintained; about 26 tonnes, 4 axels, but no jake brake.
The sign at the top of the range stated, "all heavy vehicles must use low gear"
The warning sign is in English only.
I selected 6th ,low range, out of a 15 speed road ranger box, and set sail down a steep decline.
In no time flat that Cat straight turbo 6 diesel was red lining,
so I had to use my brakes as well.
I kept an eye on the west coast mirrors, and sure enough,
about half way down the range, the brakes, they started smokin' up.
Common sense said pull into one of the rest areas, and give 'em half an hour to cool down,
I could do without a tire fire!
On the next trip the Company gave me a much newer truck, with jake brakes that I could adjust the amount of retard that I deemed necessary.
Needless to say, it wasn't nearly as stressful,
and I sailed down the range a bit faster and safer;
without even touching the brakes.
Yep thank you
what are semi drivers supposed to do with the truck on downhill highways? just curious
Born and raised in Colorado. Learned to drive on this highway in the mountains. Still hate to drive the high country. It's crazy. Very dangerous roadway.
Lol i haul 75 up this shi every monday to go snowboarrd, you dont sound born and raised
The road isn't dangerous. It's the drivers that are dangerous. In dry, clear weather following the posted speed limits and other signage will get you safely where you're going. But no, so many people ignore the speed limits. In bad weather, they don't slow down, either.
Getting my licence in the Netherlands nobody thought me anything about driving down mountains but it is legal to drive a truck all around Europe.
I was lucky to have some 2 man jobs with an old-timer to teach me the ropes .
The Netherlands is flat. Cuba is NOT flat.
Oh my word! Democrats didn't give him nothing. If this driver wants to blame someone other than the driver then put it city or state examiner who issued his cdl.
That's right blame every thing on the Democrats. Probably voted for Trump.
@@69634100 #TRUMP2020
Agreed. Both Republicans and Dems are equally guilty of letting trash like this into the country. Wonder what this guy was getting paid? I'm sure it had a negative effect on other drivers.
The liberal immigration stance allows this kind of stuff,get into the real world and you will love mountain Mike for his logical approach to life
@@69634100 I did and I'm sure most people that didn't are crying the blues
I’ve been driving through CO and Denver. Where is this exactly? What part of I 70?
Thank you for the ride along and details on the hill
Can you give an advices what to do in this situation u go downhil and u already have no brakes?
You drove by my neighborhood in this video.
This is a very good video explaining the hazards of driving into Denver from the mountains on I-70.
But I don’t think any video can effectively show how steep that east bound section is.
How the driver survived the crash?
Thank You Mike . That was a very clear and informative .di. Like you said that was a preventable crash .Stay Safe PEACE
Imformative? Discution? Acident? Oh God where's this guy's autocorrect?
I drove past the accident (westbound) about a half hour after it happened. It was unbelievable. Could not understand why he chose to take the right side instead of going into the median and rolled it. Could've saved lives.
I drive down and up that hill almost daily for work and leisure and just about every day there's a semi at the bottom sitting on the side of the highway with brakes smoking or on fire. These flat-landers have got to learn mountain driving in a semi.
That's the damn truth. Wouldn't wonna do it without experience. Training is key. Mile posts and signs are a reminder of you better know what the hell your doing. I'm old school and if you tell me you gotta be ready approaching that mile marker it's time to slow down and apply the Jake. Swear to God I would hid that message because my life depended on it. A perfect example of luck of training
they are not compatible with the evil white supremacists.
It is the white supremacists fault for not having multi-lingual signs posted.
Great video. At about 18:40 under the bridge you can see the pavement is darker which is where it was replaced due to the accident damage. I'm not a truck driver and maybe that guy wasn't trained for mountains but hills and needing to downshift is pretty much everywhere. It sounds like that guy just stood on his brakes the whole time. One news report said he was hitting about 80-90mph by the Genesee exit and runaway ramp right after it, twice the truck speed limit. I also wondered if he could have slowed or stopped by using the grassy center median and downshifting right before the accident scene. I hope the guy never gets behind a wheel of any vehicle when he gets out. Let's not forget after he got out of his truck he asked to borrow a phone so he could get a ride from a friend and leave the scene.
I think due to the truck being over speed he was unable to get truck in a low gear ... tractor trailer trucks don't shift like a normal vehicle. Add in inexperience plus 30,000-40,000lbs and toasted brakes = unfortunate events.
@@eq4611 No breaks ona steep downhill.
I don't comment here often... rarely at all, but this one is worthy of comment. This really does show the crazy grade and its long distance... Thanks for posting this.
When my commercial license was brand new, and I had secured my first OTR job, one thing I wanted to do was roll with a trainer during winter. I wanted the experience of not only mountain driving, but also adverse conditions, while training.
During that time, I drove through Wyoming, Montana, Cabbage Patch Hill - where I saw another truck smoking his brakes at the end, all in the ice and snow. In addition to the Great Smoky Mountains. It was a time well chosen.
So to any prospective truckers out there, make the most of your time as a rookie and consider winter training. Unless someone wants to throw you out there solo first, while you’re still wet behind the ears, but I wouldn’t advise it. Nobody bothered to train that Cuban driver very well and look where he is.
You're running Jake's, did the other truck even have them? What is your weight vs the weight of the other truck? Both would make a difference between slowing down and speeding up.
Thank you for making this. For all we know he may have toasted those brakes right out of the tunnel. 10yrs OTR here (‘92-‘02) and only went that way once. I’m still trying to figure out why there was no smoke coming off his brakes in the video of him cutting off the car in that curve. Air leak? Glad hand came off? 🤷♂️. 10 years ain’t enough. The people who survived with life-altering injuries sure got a life sentence - just ask Estes about that one they had in OH. Owner of the truck should face more than civil penalties, too. Liability limits have been the same for how long??(!)
He was in a hurry to make time and did stop because of brake issues twice and went on. He then went out of control. Hugging the steering wheel and closing his eyes as he crashed instead of going off the road
Do you not need to know English to get a cdl?
@@StevenPenny There's a big difference between knowing enough English to pass a test and knowing enough English to read signs whizzing by.
@@Ravie3 It’s not that hard to read a sign and I’d imagine a test should be able to incorporate comprehension but timing it.
@@StevenPenny Can you speak two languages?
Yes exactly , im in puerto Rico where everything in spanish but you can tell a warning sign from standard sign
Exactly. And Puerto Rico has hills. It had nothing to do with this drivers ability to understand a sign with a hill and silhouette of a truck on it. He was simply a bad driver who obviously shouldn’t of been driving a truck period. The OP wants to blame Democrats. How about blaming the companies that hire them ?
Some great insight on a tragic event. This should highlight the need for professional training for professional drivers. Sadly, I don't feel as safe with some of today's undertrained drivers as I did years ago. And seeing the immigrants take to driving commercial vehicles in the numbers that I have seen of late is more cause for concern. Some are true professionals, but many don't have the combination of skills, knowledge, training and experience to be in charge of the loads they get and the terrain they may face. It's sad that too many freight operators are cool with cutting corners to just fill a seat. Thanks again for the detailed plight of this poor kid.
I have seen white American people born in this country grew up here in the United States in big accidents and big fatalities also so I don’t think it has to do with who you are
The problem in this country is that people get those jobs only because they know somebody in the company or is family of somebody working already there and that is the way people get hire in this country and that habit has to end.
Ditto, Gary Kidd et al,⛪
Mike, do we really know the guy's motives. At 23 years old, some people are pretty mature at 16, some others are still adolescents. I see the wide range of opinions in the comments. Can you give us a follow up? Did he really go into the job blind or not care? When you said he was clearly scared shitless I tend to believe what you figured. So glad we used to have the "CB News" when we were younger. In airplane-ese we say "Bank now, lest the mountain rise up and smite thee." Same idea.
@@alexgonzalez6371 ,Are you kidding us,since the early 2000s big companies have been training foreigners and most can't truly speak or read fluent English let alone operate a simple 10 speed,let alone a splitter with a high/low ,meaning a 13,15 or 18,driving a 18 wheeler at 80,000 pounds is a skill and let me tell you something back in the day we good old American farm raised boys knew the skill and passion of trucking!
This video only shows the last eight miles of the grade before accident. The grade averages 5+% for 45 miles before he had the collision. There is only one substantial uphill grade in that 45 mile stretch (Floyd Hill), 2 miles west of Idaho Springs. He should have used the runaway ramp, he should have turned into the Jersey Wall (concrete barrier on the right side of highway). I have made over 3000 trips in trucks between Denver and Grand Junction, the man earned every day of the over 100+ year sentence, with his total disregard of life and property
How much weight is involved?
You are a man dedicated to your craft and your work! Fascinating truck ride!!!
What do you do when you have an automatic transmission? You can’t downshift in automatic
Thanks for taking the time in explaining the video. Very sad not only for him but for the family that lost their family as well. Sad tragedy for all of us. My condolences to all the family that were involved in this horrific trajedy.
Sorry if I missed the info:
What’s the gross weight on your rig at the time of this video?
Thanks
He stated that he had about 30,000# payload. The driver in the fatal accident had a load of lumber probably had 45,000+ payload.
I was all down to subscribe to your channel until you started in on blaming a democrat for giving a CDL to a man that lost control of his rig. Just to let you know, there were a few vets who were in my training class that were there on the GI Bill. Also, the training teaches us to pass the state tests not how to drive down mountains or how to drive in the snow. That’s why we need more companies and good mentors to teach new recruits, so brakes won’t overheat when on downgrade.
Going downhills on a truck depends on weight and speed and conditions of roads and truck repairs should be 100% good
I've been down that hill many of times loaded heavy with the jake brake on max , every time my speed picked up 5 mph I would apply the brakes and reduce my speed by 5 mph and repeat the process to control my descent going down the hill👍🏿
That's exactly what I do. Set the jake, shortly apply brakes as speed climbs, then lift off to allow them time to cool.
I just became a truck driver a couple of months ago. I remember reading about decelerating 5mph and then gaining speed again, while studying for my test. I live in the flatlands of Texas so ive never had to use the jake brake excessively like how you’re mentioning.
When you say you had the jake brake at max, do you mean you were literally pulling down the chicken stick all the way because that’s how much speed you would gain on these hilly mountains?
@@SanMario95 Maximum is #3 and gives the engine maximum braking effect and works best in the upper rpm range like 1500-2000 rpm so basically when downshifting (if you have manual transmission) the jake brake can dam near bring the truck to a stop on flat ground without applying the service brakes
@@SanMario95 Have only had a problem once, beginning of my training period, but before I developed the sense of speed from high the cab. First load, driving down a hill in Kentucky I happened to look down, noticed I had drifted up to 82 (governed at 67). Not the steepest hill, so I was able to haul it back down OK. From then on I made a point of topping hills slow, applying jake (setting as appropriate), and braking as previously described on the way down. Since then I've also upped my trip planning game with tablet based Google maps, street view, satellite, NWS radar with a paper Rand McNally, all of which I now consider essential for proactively dealing with known hazards, like these steep hills.
@@SanMario95 the jake brake works independently of the service brakes on the truck. It’s a mechanical device installed on the engine that allows the engine to use compression to slow down the vehicle.
Question??..
I've never driven that road so I don't know...
But Is there no mandatory brake check before one commits to that decline????...
Ive been in that area a million times. You know when your brakes are fading, you take immediate action. He didnt. Hes in the wrong. People are dead and injured!! You are the professional, its your ass!!
Is there a link to *that* video?
My nephew started driving a big rig at 21. He was trained for so many weeks and then on his own. The first company he drove for had him up North. Indiana, Ohio, Detroit, Kentucky, etc. Well, he had little experience driving in snow at night and day. No experience with hills, or mountains. He felt he was in over his head and wasn't prepared enough to tackle these feats. He decidedly left that job and chose one that would help him be more experience, and learn how to make quick decisions to protect his life and others. To truly handle a huge vehicle like that should not be taken lightly. He now drives with another company but with care and considerable caution. "A hill delayed is not a hill denied." One day they shall meet and he plan on being the victor.
Thats a smart thing to do what your nephew did. I've got 30 years of driving trucks all over the US and in Germany. I would not recommend a newbie driver start out over the road or even regional. You will experience too many situations too quickly, before you're ready. Start local and gain experience in the truck first. Once you've got all the basics of truck operation mastered then go out on the road. To be over the road or regional, especially up north, you need to know how to drive mountains, cities, twisty country roads, and in snow and ice. But if you haven't first mastered the rig itself you'll be biting off more than you can chew. I learned the hard way. I started driving in Germany while stationed in the Army. Snow and ice, mountains, tiny villages with twisty roads, the autobahn etc. Somehow I made it through with no incidents and by the time I came home I was ready for anything but I dont recommend that for anyone. Crawl before you walk, walk before you run, run before you fly.
When you were filming this. How many times did you apply throttle from the top of Genesee to the accident site or did you coast applying brake as necessary .
In looking for an update on this, I found out the driver received a 110 year sentence for the deaths of the four victims. It was considered a crime of violence, and such crimes in Colorado require consecutive sentences. The judge said it was not his wish, but he had to follow the law. On Dec 22, 2021 the prosecutors in the case filed for a reduction in his sentence.
colorado has the min max sentencing laws...they cant change this young mans sentence WITHOUT changing this barbaric law...if they do..they will HAVE to CHANGE it for thousands who were sentenced under this LAW...
@@stonemagic540, burning to death is pretty barbaric as well.
@@chrisfoxwell4128 you are 100 percent right...and i do not think his sentence is too much..and if the sentencing is to be reduced BECAUSE of the petition , I say bullshit.....he aint special..and thousands have been over sentenced from the mandatory min. and they have not killed or raped or caused others bodily harm...but no one is trying to change that law . and ,this law IS ment for violent crime and he fits the bill....
With this case when I realized like damn Colorado does have the toughest law just like the theater shooter we got over 3,000 years in prison. I think is too exaggerated in those cases why not just give death sentence. Even Colorado prisons have top leaders of Mexican cartels too if I’m not mistaken
I live here in Colorado, just to note, this guy was offered plea deals which he declined because he felt all he deserved was "just a ticket." His words. This forced the hand of the DA and Judge under Colorado mandatory minimum law. In this instance this law is extreme but for those of us here who have been touched by violent crime...I'm the parent of an Aurora theater survivor...it is a good law. He may get a reduced sentence if the governor steps in but being charged as he was came from his declining offers from the DA.
I never saw any smoke coming from his brakes on that video showing him coming down that Hill. Did you?
I have had a CDL since 1982 . I'm sorry and it makes no difference what he says he did it and should pay the price. I'm getting done with all these untrained kids out here on the road being taught the five maneuvers to pass the Driving test by these schools. I hope they set an example and give him life without parole. ANY real driver would have done whatever is required to keep from killing people. Even if that meant just turning right and hoping for the best. Today there are very few professional truck drivers out here just a bunch of steering wheel holders and it sounds like a lot are not even American citizens who read or speak English.
Thanks Shotgun for this video. It was heartbreaking watching a news clip of him on the witness stand. I'm a new driver and watching this video gives me an idea of how to handle steep grades
Hey Mike thanks for showing us, really scary stuff, very eerie, I’ve only been down that hill once, and it was my first time, I did fine, but man , it was nerve wrecking, like you said I can only imagine what he was going through. Thanks again, take are, safe journeys, as usual, I enjoy all your videos. My videos all come in on 1080p, no issues whatsoever! Thanks
awesome Saul.. yes it had to have been down right terrifying,, thanks for watching!
@@ridingshotgun1251 A lot of dirt areas in the center median where he could have drove to slow the truck down. He probably wasn't sufficiently trained, but I can't believe that the CDL test didn't include how to use a runaway truck ramp, and I'm sure he could read the 45 MPH speed limit sign that almost all truckers ignore. I've met a lot of people from Cuba, and they all speak English very well. They must teach it there, and it must be spoken there a lot.
You are right though, there are others to blame, also. The government (police), for not enforcing truck speed limits; there should be ZERO tolerance when enforcing traffic laws for truckers. They are professional drivers and are controlling a potential lethal weapon.
The testing and training is probably lacking, also. But anything less than 20 years with no early release would be an injustice. I've been cut off way too many times by truckers coming over right in front of me into the fast lane going 55 MPH when I'm going 75 to have a whole lot of sympathy for truckers. I drive I-70 a lot, including that specific area, and I know how dangerous many truckers drive. Just recently I was in the fast lane coming down the mountain in that area where the speed limit for cars is 65, and 45 for trucks. I was going 75 in the fast lane while some cars were passing me. There was a semi-truck right on my rear going 75. So I slowed down to 70 and didn't let him pass.
If there was zero tolerance for enforcing traffic laws for truckers, they would all get used to it fairly quickly and the roads would be much safer. A little attitude adjustment is needed. Truckers are not the most important people on the road, their priority should be the safety of others, driving safe and courteous. We all pay truckers to deliver the goods that we are buying. We pay them to deliver it safely and within the law.
Slow down a little, truckers. And stop cutting everybody off.
There needs to be some kind of emergency stop for trucks. An extra emergency brake on the axle or something.
By
@@robertvandenbrink5884 Injustice was just done. I hope all the truckers straighten up, because I drive on the highway all the time, and from now on I'm calling 911 every single time I see a trucker break a traffic law, which is very often.
@@kriscoloradolv Yeah and if you mention to his fans that your a vet they say your FAKE! Had that happen on a liberal website that I no longer subscribe I have FOX banned on my RUclips! You get idiots claiming no signs and not in english just international image on sign the Dr Rashaad website also makes it sound like the trophy brakes are from the crash which is a lie poor taste yes! Has a vet they are deporting hispanic vets who did not get citizenship after serving in US military which I want them back in America! But these Cowards who come from countries who will not fight but want us to do the dying like CUBA, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Iraq!
Do you have the link to the original video
Several times a year where I work, we get a rush of trucks coming in to pick up our product and I load them. I see truck drivers all the time who can't speak English and can't even straight line back to our dock with no obstructions. We had one truck pull in one night around 11pm to unload and his box trailer was broken in half with a big section of the side of the trailor ripped completely open and half of the trailer dragging the ground with the stansions. Funny thing was, his concern was if we could still get him unloaded so he could get paid. There was no way we could. We called the police because obviously he had hit something. They arrived and found out that he entered into a State Park next to our plant and hit an enormous tree limb which fractured the trailer. Obviously he couldn't read the State Park sign or the big lit up sign of our company which you can easily see.
Is there a link for the video of the driver out of control?
There are several here if you haven't found it yet.
denver.cbslocal.com/2019/04/26/rogel-lazaro-aguilera-mederos-videos-semi-deadly-crash-interstate-70-crash/
I never run next to or in front of a big rig. When driving I will follow at a safe distance and will run block for truckers who are trying to get over. I have driven hours will behind a big rig and always give them space. They are not driving an SUV and can't stop that fast even empty. Thank you long haul driver's.
I am from Colorado and a veteran (now retired) trucker with 1.7 million miles of accident free miles. Been down that stretch hundreds of times. Why oh why didn’t he take the right hand runaway truck ramp? What a fool.
Question from a non driver: if he didn’t use the ramp, could he have used the exit ramp at 15:30 and then laid it over there? Since there’s a bit of a incline on that and maybe less traffic there?
All drivers need to be able to pass their license test in English. These states need to stop allowing people to take test in Spanish or any other language.
the law actually requires english to be understood in order to get the CDL. not sure how he managed as well as a lot of other drivers,,
@@ridingshotgun1251 Does it require them to read English or just understand the spoken language? I attended High school back in the late 90s with a boy who's parents were immigrants...possibly illegal Idk. But he was raised in States and he could speak and understand Spanish because his parents spoke it at home. But he couldn't read or write it at all.
I don't know jack about driving I-70 in Denver but can someone tell me if just by maintaining the speed limit in that area you'd be OK?
We just happen to have been on the same roads in colorado ,utan ,wyoming lately. Inamworking in boulder and either commuting home to temecula or touring and have really enjoyed following your tracks thru those places.thanks for the work and the driving tips.
Awesome Mark.. glad to help give you an insight to the road!
Whoever trained this kid and gave him a license should be rotting in jail along side him
No extra words needed Mike, stay safe!
He worked for a half ass company out of Houston which had multiple SAFTY violations . The owner of that company should be going to prison! It’s now out of business.
I have driven on the busiest freeways on the West Coast and have "NEVER" seen a truck in the fast lane, "it is against the law". I taught my sons and daughters that.
It should absolutely be against the law for a truck to stay in the left lane unless the right lane is blocked for some reason.
A truck should never need to go "fast".
Excellent video my friend. Your minute by minute narrative gave a good picture of what happened. I drove the smokey mountain highways many times and keeping your cool/controlling your rig is non-negotiable! 👍👍
I knew a Hispanic women (for about 3 years) a few years back who told me her son did not read English well so he had a friend go to DMV to test for him. She said Hispanics take advantage of these things often because like Asians many have less differences unlike Caucasians who have hair, eye, height and more feature differences. Caucasians are not well trained to see the differences. I knew a Filipino man who added a decade to his age also when he came to the US so he could retire earlier and go back to the Philippines. We just are not worldly enough to discern the differences yet. We look for the usual... hair, eyes, height etc. My point is it may be a legit CDL (not just given arbitrarily) but someone else could have taken the written tests for him.
What causes the brakes to heat up?
Friction from the brake pads rubbing on the break disks. The driver applied the breaks way too much in a short period of time making the breaks worthless. I guarantee he had the pedal down to the floor. Operator error.
Wow! Thanks for explaining what happened. One of the Nomads I followed on RUclips was the one that had the video of the truck racing by him on the right. That person was later interviewed by local news media. When I was at the Sturgis motorcycle rally there were accidents of people who were from flat land states that weren’t use to the mountains and curves.
Taz Mod ...absolutely right! Once having a week long business conference/trade show in Las Vegas, I flew west, with my back-east flatland wife, to where I had just lived several previous years. So on our way to Kingman and Flagstaff to see Grande Canyon, we topped the Henderson, NV hill looking down to Hoover Dam in the Valley below! There she panicked and wanted to never go down such a hill! It was better once she realized that I knew mtn roads!
Edward Jones : My sister from Michigan, which I also was from, came to visit me in Oregon. I had already lived there 20 years and had driven many of the coast and mountain roads. Our first site seeing trip was to Sisters from the flat Willamette valley . I zipped up the mountain roads over the Cascade mountains. When we got to Sisters my sister said she was scared the whole way especially when she looked out the window and saw the cliffs down to valleys. I slowed down a little for her going back to the valley. She also didn’t like the coast highway.
Taz Mod ..like in some of those canyons in SoCal, the edge of the road without guardrail is many hundreds feet above canyon floors, & if anyone visits there they likely will never be seen again or even found, if ever they come up missing! Having been thru many of those west USA high places, I always wondered about who may have taken that down & out plunge??
Taz Mod ..ever spend any time in Mich UP? The kewenaw peninsula always fascinated me, at any time of year out in Lake Superior! Liked Eagle River & Copper Harbor best, & Brock Mtn Drive! I once lived in Irish hills area, sw of Ann Arbor, near speedway! Michigan is one of my favorite eastern states! Since you mentioned Michigan, I once had a girlfriend from Port Huron, when I was yet single & lived in Phoenix.
Edward Jones : Been to many of those places. Michigan is still in my heart. Went to forestry school summer camp at Golden Lake back in late 60’s. When I was in First Grade in the 50’s we lived outside of Monterey. I remember dad driving us on a mountain road that had no guard rail and cliff. Scared us.
Thank you for doing this. It was a terrible situation for a young truck driver without training or experience in mountain driving. I am glad his sentence was reduced. Sympathy to the victims' families.
That's right set up for slow speed and sustain it by applying brakes occasionally so they wont get hot as heat is not you're friend
Thanks for the point of view and the great diving. My instructor always said pay attention to the signs and do what they say... slow down he would say
Thanks for this I couldn't understand how this happen. 😞🙏 for the people and there family. Again thank you.
I now understand all these vehicles were in the back-up and none were involved in a prior accident.
Wasn't there room on the shoulder for him to go past the back-up instead of ramming them?