Loaded Semi Truck Races Down Colorado Pass and Just Makes It to the Runaway Ramp

      A Colorado driver recorded the moment when a truck driver skillfully guided his out-of-control semi onto a runaway truck ramp. The video is somewhat difficult to follow for a few seconds, and there is no accompanying audio, but one can only guess the relief felt by both the witness and the trucker after the semi successfully reached this particular ramp.

      If you have ever driven in mountainous areas, you have likely passed numerous runaway truck ramps without much thought. For those who grew up between Toledo and Denver and may not have traveled far, imagine a gravel trap positioned next to a high-speed corner on a racetrack. The idea is similar: to assist a speeding vehicle in decelerating before it crashes into something. Like those gravel traps, runaway truck ramps are usually just stretches of loose stone, but occasionally, they witness dramatic scenarios.

      This brings us to Wolf Creek Pass, located approximately 180 miles southwest of the previously mentioned Colorado city. On March 20, a driver behind captured a semi truck as it approached a runaway truck ramp on US-160 and shared the footage with the Colorado Department of Transportation. CDOT did not provide details about the incident on its Facebook page, but it is evident that the truck (which is two vehicles ahead of the camera car; look for the tires smoking) lost its brakes and was struggling to control its speed downhill using only exhaust braking.

      “The west side of US 160 Wolf Creek Pass has two perilous hairpin turns and a 7% downhill slope,” CDOT warned in its post. “If you over-brake, you won’t make it.”

      In this instance, the driver managed to make it, but just barely. The video shows the truck navigating the curves leading to the ramp before our view is temporarily blocked—creating a moment of suspense. Afterward, you can see how far up the ramp the truck coasting went before it finally dug in. We suspect the cold temperatures made the ramp a bit more rigid and less forgiving than it would be in the summer, but ultimately, it served its purpose well.

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