There are plenty of safety considerations when driving a truck equipped with a large, extendible crane. One that (we would hope) goes without saying is the driver must completely lower the crane before driving through a busy intersection surrounded by power lines and stop lights. And yet … well, watch the video.
This jaw-dropping scene took place in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Military Cutoff Road at what happens to be one of the city’s busiest intersections. Nearly a dozen power crews were called to repair the damage, which they said would take up to 12 hours to repair. Actually, 12 hours seems like a pretty good turnaround time given what happened! The truck driver was charged with failure to secure a load.
So, safety tip: When you’re driving a crane truck, remember to fully retract the crane before driving around. Or at least stop when you hear the loud booms and crashes…