We have another reminder about exactly how danger Truck driving on the road can be. This time, it was through the freezing temperatures of Alaska and one driver was lucky to be alive.
A tractor-trailer driver drove his truck off the shoulder of the Seward Highway and into the icy waters of the north shore of the Gulf of Alaska on September 4, according to Anchorage Daily NewsWhen authorities arrived, they found the driver still in the truck’s cabin underwater:
Girdwood Fire and Rescue crews arrived at the scene and found the driver still in the cab and used a rescue bag to pull the driver out of the truck and onto shore, according to a update Wednesday. Girdwood crews described poor driving visibility in the area, with wind and sideways rain.
According to updates, the truck went off the road in an area where guardrails have been removed due to ongoing highway construction.
According to a police spokesperson, the driver lost control of the truck before it went into the water. It also appears the driver did nothing wrong to cause the loss of control. The driver, Travis Corgan, was pulled from the truck with minor injuries and his family said he is now resting at home. Authorities and a local towing company returned to pull the truck out of the water late on the afternoon of September 5. Girdwood Fire and Rescue Chief Michelle Weston praised Corgan for his driving skills, saying “It could have gone a whole different way” and that it was amazing the truck stayed upright.
Driving a truck on the road in icy conditions is dangerous enough. It’s even worse when you consider that many of these drivers are risking their lives on the road. low salary. Many people even shoulder the debt which they cannot escape until they pay back the training money to the company.
