10 Scary Scenarios


TRUCKER SURVIVAL KIT

As any Boy Scout knows, it’s best to be prepared. Albert Sindlinger of Elko, Nev., author of Common Sense Survival Guide, suggests stashing these items in your truck:

  • 80 mg aspirin
  • Fully stocked first aid kit
  • Charged cell phone battery
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • Three gallons of bottled water
  • Matches
  • Prescription drug backups
  • Extra eyeglasses
  • Medical emergency book
  • Pocket knife or multi-tool
  • Extra flares
  • Maps
  • Stash of cash
  • Plastic tube for siphoning fuel to start fire
  • Solar-powered radio
  • Extra blankets
  • High-calorie nutritional bars
  • With more than a million safe miles, owner-operator Trucker Tim figures he’s seen it all. Tim prides himself on meticulous maintenance practices and his defensive, pro-active driving skills. He knows that most driving disasters are the result of poor planning, careless maintenance or bad decisions due to fatigue or stress. Like most good truckers, Tim’s always looking around, ahead and behind him, looking for that last-ditch solution in case he must make a split-second decision.

    But he also knows, deep in his heart, that sometimes bad things happen to good truckers. These are often things beyond the control of the most cautious of drivers. Every once in a while, when he’s traveling down a mountain, driving into severe weather or facing an unexpected situation, Tim runs worst-case scenarios through his mind: What if his heart stops? What if he were stuck for days in a blizzard? What if he were hijacked?

    Some truckers would just kiss their fannies goodbye. Not Tim. His knowledge and preparation enables him to survive a string of 10 uncommon emergencies. We could all learn something from him and from experts familiar with such situations.

    1. HEART ATTACK

    2. TORNADO

    3. SUBMERGED TRUCK

    4. HIJACKING

    5. VOLCANIC ERUPTION

    6. CHOKING

    7. TRAPPED IN THE CAB WITH A BEE

    8. BLACK ICE

    9. BLIZZARD

    10. BRAKES FAIL ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD