Confronted with a blazing car, would you climb inside the
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wreckage to pull the trapped driver from certain death? Driver Mitchell Williamson won a bravery award for doing just that. Pat Hagan tells his story, and those of other trucking heroes recognised for putting others' safety before their own...
Thank goodness for stereotypes. Because of them, the public knows that all politicians have as much moral spine as a jelly in a heatwave and all journalists would sell their grandmothers for a good story. And most people also know that truck drivers are greasy overweight slobs who run old ladies off the road, deliberately pollute the environment and survive on a diet of bacon butties and thick, strong tea.
Except that, every now and then, truck drivers will insist on exploding the myth by doing something that doesn't quite fit the image—such as risking their lives for members of the public.
Tales of drivers' bravery are probably as old as the haulage industry itself. The law of averages means that, simply by virtue of the amount of time they spend on the road, truckers are more likely to encounter life-threatening situations than ordinary motorists.
But even that fails to explain the frequency with which drivers appear to grab the headlines for performing acts of heroism worthy of somebody trained by the armed or emergency services. A few—such as the case of Alan Sharpe from Nottingham are so extraordinary that they make headlines around the world.
In 1995, Sharpe leapt to fame when he and another British driver saved the lives of three people after a gas explosion ripped through a motorway service station in Belgium. Sixteen others died in the inferno.
Sharpe ignored the dangers to his own life and braved the flames to rescue the victims. He was personally thanked by the King of Belgium and later invited to Buckingham Palace to meet Prince Charles.
Until now, dozens of other brave acts by truckers have failed to attract the same sort of publicity. But efforts are being made to recognise drivers' courage and selflessness by setting up tailor-made awards for the haulage industry The Heroic Truck Driver of the Year award—sponsored by Hi-Q Tyreservices—is now into its third year. The company, which runs an emergency truck tyre assistance operation, says it was inspired to set up the programme because its fitters frequently recounted anecdotes of drivers they heard about who had been unsung heroes of the road.
And for an industry no doubt desperate to shake off that tainted and largely inaccurate image of drivers, such awards offer a golden opportunity to promote haulage and all those involved in it in a new light.
As far as drivers are concerned, being a "professional" road user is often the only catalyst they need to trigger them into action when faced with an emergency situation.
As the winner of the 1996 Heroic Truck Driver of the Year award, Mitchell Williamson, told Commercial Motor "There is definitely something about
truck drivers. If [had been in my car I don't think I would have done it." ■ Aftermath of gas explosion in Eynatten, Belgium which killed 16.