One Trucker Talks Safety, Over-the-Road and Surviving a Crash

As a professional truck driver of five years, Akeem Hicks is familiar with the rules semi drivers must follow to stay safe. And, as the survivor of a crash caused by another trucker, he has seen firsthand what happens when drivers don’t follow those rules.

Recently, Akeem joined attorney David Craig on his podcast, After the Crash, to discuss his unique perspective as a truck driver and a victim of a commercial vehicle wreck.

The episode is available now on YouTube and other podcast-streaming services.

 Akeem Hicks: A Trained Trucker Who Has Crossed the Country

Commercial trucking is usually divided into three categories: local, regional, and over the road. The latter requires drivers to spend weeks away from home, hauling freight across the country. They see every type of terrain and weather.

For about five years, Akeem Hicks has been an over-the-road trucker. He’s seen violent storms, high winds, extreme traffic and more. He and his cousin ran a team, and it took Akeem from South Carolina to California. He has driven through almost every state.

He said some areas of the country are worse than others, in terms of driving — California, New Jersey, and Atlanta, Georgia, for example. It is more difficult to pull over on busy roads, and some don’t even have shoulders.

Get to Know the Guest: A Victim of a Commercial Motor Vehicle Wreck

When truck drivers are distracted or reckless, they can cause catastrophic wrecks. These may impact cars and other passenger vehicles, but they also affect other trucks.

Akeem Hicks hired Craig, Kelley & Faultless to represent him after he was in a crash on I-65. Akeem was driving through a construction zone at about 65 miles per hour. A nearby semi tractor-trailer hit a construction vehicle, then struck Akeem’s truck and knocked it off the road.

“It happened so fast,” Akeem said. “There was nothing I could do. All I heard was the sound — BOOM!”

His semi tractor-trailer had a gross weight of about 50,000 pounds. After being hit, Akeem had to fight his truck to try to regain control. It headed into the median, toward the opposing lanes of traffic.

Luckily, the median had four steel barriers to prevent wrecks like Akeem’s from becoming too catastrophic. His truck plowed through three of them, but the fourth stopped it.

Akeem said that the medians in his home of South Carolina have only two or three barriers. In other places, there are none at all.

Key Takeaways from Episode 57: Behind the Wheel

Because Akeem has driven thousands of miles throughout the United States, he has seen how negligent drivers can cause horrible wrecks. He has also learned what a responsible truck driver must do to keep himself and others safe.

Here are the key takeaways from episode 57 of After the Crash, as discussed by a semi tractor-trailer driver and a commercial motor vehicle wreck attorney.

• A big rig’s blind spots are no joke. Take them seriously.

Semis and other commercial motor vehicles have vast blind spots, also called “no-zones,” because of their size and shape. They have large blind spots at the front, rear and sides.

On the right side of the tractor-trailer, the blind spot extends from the front of the truck the rear of the trailer and across two lanes of traffic. Drivers of large trucks have a responsibility to notice the vehicles around them and ensure that, if anything or anyone is in their no-zones, they do not strike them.

• Construction zones are dangerous. Slow down.

Everyone should respect construction zones, Akeem said. This means driving with extra caution, slowing down and staying focused. Often, the roads passing through work zones are uneven. Lanes may be closed, or construction equipment may crowd the shoulder.

The accident that injured Akeem occurred because another trucker was driving recklessly through a work zone. Wrecks in construction zones are often deadly; in 2023, more than 800 people in the U.S. died from crashes in work zones.

• Bad weather can hit in an instant. Truckers must be prepared.

With time and experience, truckers can learn to identify signs of dangerous weather before it impacts them. Akeem said he has learned “survival tactics” to drive safely, especially in winter weather.

For example, he may look at the vehicles in opposing lanes of traffic, since they are coming from the direction he is heading. If they are driving slowly, that lets him know he should slow down. If the cars on his side of the road are clear, but the ones on the other half are snowy or icy, he knows he may be driving into a storm.

Being observant can save lives.

After the Crash Podcast: A Legal Resource for Truck Wreck Victims

After the Crash is ranked No. 5 in personal injury podcasts. It is the highest-ranked podcast focusing on personal injury resulting from commercial vehicle wrecks.

The podcast was launched nearly five years ago, in the fall of 2020, by attorney David W. Craig. It educates and empower listeners in a digestible format. It is primarily aimed at the victims and the families of victims of semi or other large truck accidents.

It is David’s goal to equip listeners with the knowledge necessary to navigate this tough time in their lives. Anyone — truck wreck survivors, legal professionals, healthcare workers, and anyone in between — can tune into After the Crash for free.

A new episode is released monthly, featuring a guest with an important perspective. In each episode, David interviews individuals involved in commercial motor vehicle cases, or experts whose skills are crucial to understanding trucking cases.

Episodes are posted on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and the Craig, Kelley & Faultless website.

Injured in a Truck Accident? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help

Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims of commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case.

Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.

Reach out for a free case consultation today at (317) 434-3520 or online.

 

David W. Craig sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.