A new video is circulating online showing a Chevy Silverado driver making a costly and potentially dangerous mistake while transporting heavy equipment through California.
The video begins with a view of the underpass at Needles, where clearly marked height warnings are installed with horizontal pipes positioned in front of the underpass. The pipe serves as a physical indicator of the height of the underpass, alerting drivers if their load exceeds the safety clearance height. If it looks familiar, that’s because we’ve discussed this underpass before.
Moments later, a Chevy Silverado enters frame pulling a double-axle trailer with a skid steer on the back. The driver stopped at the intersection before continuing on. However, when the truck moved under the clearance pipe, the skid steer hit it directly.
The impact produced a loud metallic crash, pushing the skid steer backwards on the trailer before coming to rest on the trailing edge of the trailer. The machine is seen at an awkward angle, with the front end down and the rear wheels raised in the air.
Fortunately, the skid steer did not hit the curb, although it was clearly out of position and unstable. After the crash, the driver and passenger got out of the Chevy Silverado to assess the situation. The two men walked around the trailer, checking the skid steer and discussing how to reposition it.
What follows is arguably one of the most dangerous parts of the entire incident. When the driver attempts to reverse the trailer to change the position of the skid steer, the passenger can be seen physically bracing the machine from behind. This puts it in danger, as any sudden movement could cause the machine to shift or fall, potentially resulting in serious injury.
Despite the risk, the pair managed to maneuver the skid steer back to a safer position on the trailer. Once the load stabilized, they re-entered the Silverado and continued their journey without further incident.
See the full video for yourself here:
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