Lethal Inaction: As Fatal Truck Crashes Surge, U.S. Government Won’t Make An Easy Fix

Trucker Jeff Kolkman was an ace within Green Transportation’s squadron of “road pilots.” The lanky, 38-year-old father of four was, according to his dispatcher, “a very safe driver who followed the rules. He always put safety first.” Until one spring afternoon when he didn’t. In a dash-cam recording from inside the cab of a 2016 Volvo semi, Kolkman stares down at a black tablet computer in his right hand while piloting the 18-wheeler down the interstate at 70 mph. It ends seconds later as the truck slams into the rear of a 2014 Toyota Camry stuck in traffic outside West Terre Haute, Ind. Kolkman’s big rig never braked, one witness told the state police.