It was not unlike those Hollywood films in which high-speed chases on freeways figure. But this is a scene out of real life, and it involves a family of three which suddenly found themselves upside down in their car.
The truck can be seen driving along on the inner lane when a white Volvo flies into the shot, sliding forward on its roof. Inches from the driver’s side of the truck, sparks fly across the road towards hard shoulder.
Sparky fly as car flips upside down; Photo courtesy: Telegraph
Then it slams against a blue hatchback car, which in turn hits head-on into the central reservation in a 360-degree turn.
Shocked, the truck driver pulls over and finds that the baby had survived with his parents upside down in the front seats.
The company which owned the truck has released the footage to illustrate the benefits of having a forward-facing dashboard camera installed into each of its vehicles.
The car comes to a halt on the shoulder; Photo courtesy: Telegraph
“Our driver helped as best he could and phoned the police. Everybody was able to get out,” the company’s health and safety manager said. “We now have the forward-facing cameras in all our vehicles. We were trialling it at the time and that was enough for us. It is totally down to protecting the driver and the company.”
Driving on the freeway is dangerous enough. Add rain and reckless drivers into the mix and you’d have a recipe for disaster. And such driving condition is not ideal when you have a baby in the car.
These are some tips to help you ensure that your drive with the family is safe:
- Before beginning a long drive, always get enough sleep and eat something before you go. Highly caffeinated beverages are not necessarily the best way to stay awake while driving.
- Pull over and take breaks every couple of hours, even if you don’t feel sleepy. Grab a snack, get some fresh air, and stretch your legs by walking around. If you need to, take a quick nap.
- If you can, share the driving responsibilities with someone else. This will allow you to keep an eye on each other while driving and also enable you to nap without losing time.
- If you do have to pull over, move your vehicle off the road. Never park on the shoulder or in the breakdown lane for any reason except an emergency.
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