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Semi-truck drivers take precautions while traveling through winter storms

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Posted at 9:51 PM, Feb 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-18 23:47:57-05

NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Deliveries are still being attempted in the mid-state, but the icy roads are making that both dangerous and difficult.

Thursday morning anAmazon truck jack-knifed on I-65 in Williamson County blocking southbound traffic for hours.

No one was hurt but this was one of several instances of heavy trucks sliding on interstates this week.

"It’s been a challenge; it’s challenging to just go out there and get 80-thousand pounds behind your truck and drive on this kind of road," said Yandis Trujillo, truck driver.

This week's winter weather has made it nearly impossible for anybody to drive in these conditions.

"It changes so drastically that out of the blue you have ice in the road and snow," Trujillo said.

But the pressure is even harder for truck drivers. Sheila Reeves has been driving trucks for 15 years, she says her biggest fear is taking someone's life behind the wheel just for a delivery.

"When it gets icy on the road, stay home, get off the roads it’s not worth your life; it’s not worth killing somebody else," said Reeves.

Because of the wet, slick roadways, these drivers say they are a bit behind schedule.

"I'm not hauling baby hearts as I say, so it’s not something that has to be there right now," Reeves said.

These drivers sometimes find themselves close to 10 hours behind schedule but they say it can wait.

"Many times in the middle of the night you're driving and you receive a message from your company, hey it’s a mandatory shutdown there's a segment of the road that is not safe to drive," said Trujillo.

So when visibility gets hard and the roads get tough they say they're pulling over because better safe than sorry.