Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Trucker Flips Rig To Avoid Worse Accident

A log truck driver is being credited with preventing an even worse accident by flipping his truck when a car ahead of him suddenly stopped on a Mississippi highway

by Staff
February 26, 1999
1 min to read


A log truck driver is being credited with preventing an even worse accident by flipping his truck when a car ahead of him suddenly stopped on a Mississippi highway.

According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, a driver from out of town was a little lost trying to find a school on Mississippi 19 near Long Greek, MS. When she saw the sign, she stopped suddenly to try to turn. James Curtis put his rig on his side rather than risk hitting the woman’s car or oncoming traffic.
“I knew that these logs would wrap this cab up if I hit something head-on, so I took my chances turning the truck over,” said Curtis, who is from Grove Hill, AL, as quoted in published reports. Every day, Curtis drives a log truck loaded with hardwoods from the Clarkdale, MS, area to the paper mill in Naheola, AL.
Curtis’ truck did hit the fender of the car before it flipped sideways into the ditch. The driver of the car was treated for a slight arm injury.

More Safety & Compliance

Illustration of colorful map of United States with DataQs website screen superimposed

FMCSA Revamps DataQs to Improve Fairness, Speed of Reviews

New requirements add firm deadlines and independent review steps, addressing long-standing complaints about inconsistent rulings and slow response times.

Read More →
Illustration of driver medical exam paperwork over duotone background of a blood pressure check

FMCSA Extends Paper Medical Card Exemption … Again

Five states still aren't ready to accept commercial driver medical exam information directly from the medical examiner's registry.

Read More →
Collage of Top 20 Product award ceremonies
EquipmentMarch 31, 2026

HDT Honors the Best New Products of 2025 at TMC [Photos]

Heavy Duty Trucking's Top 20 Products awards recognize the best new products and technologies. Check out the award presentations at the 2026 Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
freightliner whitepaper
SponsoredMarch 31, 2026

Detroit Engines: Trusted Performance, Built for What's Next

The Detroit® Gen 6 engine platform proves that real progress doesn’t require a complete redesign. Built on 20 years of trusted technology, these engines are designed for efficiency, stronger performance, and greater reliability than before. And they do it all while complying with 2027 EPA standards on every mile.

Read More →
Aperia HALO front steer axle.
Safety & Complianceby Jack RobertsMarch 18, 2026

Aperia Expands Halo Platform with Steer-Tire Inflation System, Fifth-Wheel Integration

Aperia Technologies introduced a new automatic tire inflation system for steer axles and a partnership with Fontaine Fifth Wheel to integrate coupling status into its Halo Connect platform.

Read More →
Mobile navigation and in-cab display showing digital roadside safety alerts warning drivers about hazards and emergency vehicles through the Fleetworthy and HAAS Alert integration.

Fleetworthy and HAAS Alert Expand Partnership Stopped Truck Protection Alerts

Fleetworthy and HAAS Alert expanded their partnership to deliver real-time digital alerts that warn motorists when commercial trucks are stopped roadside and notify truck drivers when approaching emergency responders.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of author headshot with black-and-white old-fashioned rig in the background

New Entrants, Chameleon Carriers, and Safety: Is It Too Easy to Start a Trucking Company?

More than 100,000 new trucking companies enter the industry each year, but regulators manage to audit only a fraction of them. That churn creates opportunities for inexperienced startups — and for “chameleon carriers” that shut down after safety violations and reappear under new identities. Read more from Deborah Lockridge in this commentary.

Read More →
Mack Protect for MD Series.

Mack Introduces Mack Protect Collision Mitigation System for MD Series

Mack Trucks has expanded its proprietary Mack Protect collision mitigation platform to the Mack MD Series, bringing heavy-duty safety technology to medium-duty trucks operating in urban and regional environments.

Read More →
Older white man in suit standing at podium with TCA logo

Bison Transport, Mill Creek Motor Freight Win TCA Fleet Safety Awards Grand Prize

Two Canadian fleets earned the Grand Prize in the Truckload Carriers Association’s 2025 Fleet Safety Awards, recognizing the industry’s top safety performance based on accident frequency and safety programs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration with safety cones, false logbooks, CVSA logo

CVSA Issues New Inspection Guidance on ELD Tampering, False Logs

New guidance for commercial vehicle inspectors distinguishes between more traditional logbook violations and tampered ELD data that can result in mandatory 10-hour out-of-service orders.

Read More →