Greetings, Brown Cafe:
I am the driver helper who nearly died in the accident involving a UPS truck on December 14, 2011, in Federal Way, Washington. When a very loud buzzer on the dash went off midday (apparently it was a signal that the brakes were having problems), the supervisor brought the driver and me EARPLUGS rather than tell us to bring the truck in for repairs. After I delivered a package on a steep hill, the driver tried to start the truck with the keyless ignition, but it did not start. By then the truck was rolling forward and the driver tried to get the truck started with a "compression" start, which also did not work. He then tried to use the mechanical brakes and the safety (parking) brake, neither of which worked. The driver tried furiously to stand on the brakes to get the truck to stop, but he could not get the truck to slow down on the steep hill. At the bottom of the hill the driver had to turn left or right. He tried to turn left but did not make it, and the truck went over an embankment. The truck crashed into a tree, crushing me and pinning me against the tree for nearly an hour.
I lost my left eye. I lost the 20/20 vision in my right eye. Every bone in my face was fractured. I had assorted cuts and lacerations and suffered internal bleeding. Five vertebrae were fractured. All tallied, I suffered 24 injuries. I've had seven surgeries and well over 150 visits to the hospital for follow-up appointments and physical therapy.
I am curious to know if any of you have had any other similar incidents involving the failure of the keyless ignition, the failure of the power brakes, the failure of the mechanical brakes, or failure of the safety brake.