Contending with the Forces of Nature: Tornadoes

Due to the unfortunate events in Oklahoma City and Moore, Oklahoma today, I thought it would be apt to discuss how to deal with a tornado as a truck driver. First of all, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost, injured, and otherwise devastated, and we can all hope that Oklahoma City and its surrounding communities will be able to recover as soon as possible.

In regards to trucking, truck drivers are caught in the path of tornadoes each and every year. While such a situation may never happen to you as a driver, you should keep a few things in mind, especially this time of year.

The greatest danger of a tornado is the debris, often blown at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. At these speeds even a single piece of hay can become a deadly weapon. For this reason, you should always seek shelter or attempt to drive away from the tornado.

If driving is the option you choose, you should first tune in to any local news radio station. In the event of a tornado, it is likely that such stations will be the best source of information at the time, often providing specific details on the movements of the tornado as well as on its current speed. So if they say that the tornado is heading east, it would be wise to head west if you are behind the tornado, and either north or south if you happen to be in front of it.

Because a tornado can move at freeway speeds unhindered by anything in its path, you should select the best road possible (typically either a freeway, state highway, or major thoroughfare) that leads away from the devastation. Tornadoes have been known to cross freeways and scatter passing traffic like vehicular bowling pins, so you do not want to be heading face-to-face with a twister.

Once you have removed yourself from the danger zone, attempt to make contact with either dispatch or the load recipient to see if the place where you are to deliver is being affected by the storm. If they are, your attempted delivery may be to a non-existent facility. Even if the load's destination is not in the direct path of the storm, it is better to hang back and allow the tornado to pass on.

However, if you happen to be at a truck stop or other facility and are not in a position to drive yourself out of danger, then your best chance for survival is to find shelter in the facility you are in. Open spaces such as shop bays are among the worst places to be in a tornado, and attempting to bug out in your cab could be a deadly decision.

If you are in the Midwest, it is likely that the facility where you may be stationed will have some kind of emergency tornado evacuation plan, or, even better, a safe room or other place to wait out the storm.

Whatever plan you choose, make sure that you are in the best place possible, given your circumstances, to wait out the storm. Safe travels to you, and always keep an eye out for dangerous storms approaching. The best offense is a good defense.