Big rigs parked along Edwards exit of Highway 58 pose vehicle safety hazards

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The Air Force Flight Test Center Safety office is warning motorists of safety hazards regarding tractor-trailer trucks parked along the exit of Highway 58 for Edwards Air Force Base. 

The trucks use the side of Highway 58 near the Edwards exit as a rest area or a parking spot overnight and in the morning, when traffic is heaviest for entering the base, will leave the area going back on to the highway. 

"This has caused some accidents where these trucks have pulled out into our exit ramp and right in front of the oncoming vehicle," said Col. Mike McKenna, AFFTC chief of safety. 

Al Lederman, AFFTC safety office ground safety specialist, almost had an accident recently because of this. 

In this particular incident, an 18-wheeled tractor-trailer, parked on the side of Highway 58, suddenly pulled out in front of his car. 

"I had to brake hard because I didn't know what the (truck) driver was doing," Mr. Lederman said. "I had to watch not only the front but also for cars behind me because of the higher speed rate on the highways, and they didn't know what was going on." 

With Highway 58 being off base, Edwards does not have legal jurisdiction over the area, and security forces here cannot give traffic violation tickets to the truck drivers. 

"There has been a continuous effort and working relationship with California Highway Patrol and California Department of Transportation to try preventing these trucks from using this exit," Colonel McKenna said. 

Col. H. Brent Baker Sr., 95th Air Base Wing commander, wrote a letter to the directors of CALTRANS and CHP regarding the safety issues and the hazards trucks pose on motorists, especially those exiting the highway for Edwards AFB. 

Because these hazards do exist, Colonel McKenna advises motorist using the Highway 58 exits to drive defensively. 

"You have to slow down," Colonel McKenna said. "When you see these vehicles parked along side the road, you have to expect the unexpected. The only thing I ask is to be a responsible driver. You will never know what the trucks parked on the roadside are going to do." 

"You need to know your options, slow down and anticipate before it happens," Colonel McKenna said.