A trucker from North Pennsylvania narrowly escaped with his life after a massive chunk of ice smashed through his windshield.
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to a report by WNEP, Josh Keating, a truck driver, narrowly survived a large piece of ice smashing into his vehicle on February 17. The incident took place while he was driving eastbound on Route 78 to Allentown, Pennsylvania, on his way to work. Keating's truck has multiple cameras facing out toward the road and into the truck cab. He shared footage from both with the outlet.
Footage from the front-facing camera shows Keating's truck driving down Route 78. A stone divider separates east and westbound traffic, and a blue and white truck passes on the other side of the road. Seconds later, a large piece of debris hurtles toward the camera, smashing it in the process.
A Cabin Camera Caught The Moment The Ice Impacted The Windshield
The cabin-mounted camera footage is even scarier. Keating braces for the impact a split second before the ice smashes through his windshield. The chunk of ice shatters the windscreen, covering the cabin and driver with shards of broken glass and ice. Keating miraculously maintains his composure and safely drives his truck to the roadside.
"I was locked in on the road," Keating explained in an interview with WNEP. "I saw it for a split second, and then it hit, and I heard a huge bang, and that was that."
Considering the severity of the impact, Keating escaped with only minor injuries. "I had an angel with me. The only thing I got was cuts and bruises, basically on my hands. When it came through, I put my hand up to kind of catch the glass," he said.
WNEP also interviewed a State Trooper, Anthony Petroski, who explained the law regarding snow on vehicles. Petroski states, "The driver has 24 hours after the snow stops to clean the vehicle in its entirety. And this includes the hood, trunk, and the roof."
"You think it's not a big deal, but it could be a big deal, and we don't want it to get to this level," he added. State police can reportedly pull over and fine drivers for not removing ice from their vehicles. If someone is injured or killed because of ice coming loose, the driver can face fines of up to $1500.
