If you’ve passed through any construction zone this summer chances are you have seen trucks like the one to the right. They may look like old junkers but they play a very important role in the safety of the construction workers onsite. In the industry these trucks have many names. Technically they are truck-mounted attenuators but many simply refer to them as crash or blocker trucks. But what do they do? The crash truck usually sits in a lane that is closed to traffic not too far from the active construction zone. If a driver becomes distracted and drifts into the closed lane they will hit the truck first, theoretically saving the lives of workers and the driver as the large yellow box at the back is designed to absorb crash energy. Before the age of the crash truck a distracted driver would either plow into helpless construction workers or smash head on into the back of parked dump truck. Because the crash truck is mobile they are idea for moving construction zones and accidents scenes. Hats off to these old trucks for providing a valuable service in the final years of their active lives.
Still confused or not convinced? Check the video below for some absolute carnage in which many drivers and workers would have died if not for the attenuators.
Do you know of an old truck still earning it’s keep? Email Me!