Patrick Mcmahon
A CalTrans surveillance camera video from the I-5 (near the Grapevine in Southern California) shows that while those runaway truck ramps that sit alongside hills on major highways may not look like much, they’re all business when it comes to stopping a runaway rig.
Videos by Rare
After losing its brakes, the runaway truck careens into the gravel lane, throwing up a giant cloud of dust and gravel. Even as the trailer swings wildly from side to side, the driver keeps it under control — we understand if they’d like some clean underwear after this.
If you’re not familiar, pay attention next time you’re driving alongside a hilly highway. See those gravel or sand ramps that lead away from the road, often uphill? If a trucker loses their brakes, those runaway truck ramps are their only prayer.
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Car and Driver reports that the ramps began to appear in the 1960s, beginning somewhere in the West.
The ramps normally cause minor damage in the process of stopping the truck, but compared to the alternative, we’ll bet the driver would take a ramp any day!
