Nationwide protests in recent weeks over the death of George Floyd, who died while being held to the ground by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, have closed down highways and, in some cases, made it difficult for truck drivers to continue along their routes.
This was most evident on May 31 when Bogdan Vechirko, an owner-operator for Kenan Advantage Group, drove into a crowd of thousands of protesters on I-35 West in Minneapolis. He didn’t hit anyone and no one was hurt, but after he came to a stop, he was pulled out of his cab and beaten until some protesters stepped in to shield him until police arrived.
Collin Mooney, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, said he strongly recommends truck drivers do their best to avoid areas where large protests are occurring.
“Even a peaceful protest can transition pretty quickly into a violent situation,” he said, as evidenced by the Minneapolis incident. “I recommend if any truckers are operating in any area where protests are gathering or plan to gather, avoid the area altogether. Not just for their safety, but for preserving the equipment and supplies as well.”
Doug Morris, director of safety and security for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, also suggested avoidance is the best option for truckers when it comes to protests. If that’s not possible, however, he said to call the police and tell them where you are and if you’re hauling hazmat. If your truck gets surrounded, he added, try to lock yourself in your truck to stay safe and be prepared to defend yourself.
“I’ve seen in past experiences, you never know what’s going to happen,” Morris said. “When protesters have dragged drivers out of their cab, they generally beat them. The cab of your truck is your cocoon, and it’s best to lock yourself in, roll up your windows and do your best to defend yourself. Drivers are allowed to carry a tire thumper to beat the tires to check the air – use that as a defensive weapon. I know a lot of drivers have handgun permits. Make sure it’s legal to carry in the particular state you’re in, but if somebody comes at you with deadly force, you can respond with deadly force.”
Morris added that drivers should be aware that any action they take, even in self-defense, “will be looked at and investigated by law enforcement, and you could be charged if you did something wrong.” However, “if somebody is trying to hurt or kill you, you have to defend yourself,” he said.
