A Kent County Sheriff’s Deputy had his reaction time put to the test in a life-or-death “game of chicken” with a semi truck.
Deputy Drives Into Ditch To Avoid Head-On With Semi Truck
The crash happened on Wednesday on 14 Mile Road NE at Harvard Avenue in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the video, you can see that a passenger vehicle driver does not stop and collides with the side of a semi truck, causing the truck driver to lose control and swerve towards a head-on collision with the dash cammer Sheriff’s Deputy.
A Split Second Life Or Death Decision
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office writes:
“This is how quickly it can happen. In inclement weather, the conditions on the road can change in an instant. This is something we all know, but without healthy reminders like this all of us are capable of becoming complacent. Check out this dashcam footage from Wednesday when one of our units was eastbound on 14 Mile Rd NE at Harvard Ave, and conditions went from relatively static, to a split second life or death decision to throw the cruiser into a ditch to avoid a head-on collision with a big rig.
We don’t share this video because we want to discuss fault. We share it because it illustrates the importance of keeping our eyes on the road at all times, especially when conditions are poor. Thankfully only minor injuries were reported at the scene of this accident and everyone involved is expected to make a full recovery.”
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office noted that the crash could have been much worse while others praised the deputy for his quick reflexes.