PROFESSIONAL TRUCK DRIVER STOPS TO ASSIST YOUNG MOTORISTS FOLLOWING VEHICLE ROLLOVER

10/15/2021
Alexandria, Virginia  

The Truckload Carriers Association has named Robert Kravette, from Port St. Lucie, Florida a Highway Angel for stopping to help two teenagers after they lost control of their vehicle and rolled into a highway median.  

Kravette was headed west on I-26 near Aiken, South Carolina when he noticed an SUV in the eastbound lanes swerve out of control and into the grassy median where it rolled several times. “Eastbound traffic had come to a halt pretty fast,” said Kravette. “It appeared that when the SUV driver reacted and hit the brakes, he swerved and lost control.” Kravette pulled to the shoulder and then jumped out and ran across the highway to help.  

The SUV was lying on its passenger side. “It looked real bad,” he called. “I was afraid of what I would find.” Several other motorists had also stopped and rushed over to the SUV. When Kravette reached the vehicle, he saw two male teenagers inside. “They were scraped up and a little scared, but they seemed to be okay,” he recalled. Kravette tried breaking the windshield out, but wasn’t successful. “We were finally able to get the driver’s door open,” he said. He and some of the other motorists who had stopped managed to safely pull the driver and his passenger out of the vehicle. “Thank God they weren’t seriously injured,” Kravette shared with TCA.   

Once he saw that everything was under control, Kravette left his contact information and hurried back to his truck. “There was a lot of traffic building up and I was parked on the side of the road,” he remembered. Thinking back on the incident, Kravette said, “It was so nice to see so many people who took time out of their day and pitched in to help. The best part, though, is that no one was injured.”   

Kravette has been driving an 18-wheeler for six years. Prior to that, he drove a straight truck for 15 years. “I love my job,” he shared. “I love seeing the landscape.” His dog, Max, is his sidekick. 

For his willingness to assist, TCA has presented him with a certificate, patch, lapel pin, and truck decals. His employer has received a letter acknowledging their driver as a Highway Angel.

Since the program’s inception in August 1997, nearly 1,300 professional truck drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for the exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage they have displayed while on the job.

Special thanks to the program’s Presenting Sponsor, EpicVue, and Supporting Sponsor, DriverFacts.