Starting over
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9eff Barker from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, had been driving tankers for four years when, second in a convoy of four vehicles, he switched off his lights, parked and climbed down from his cab on a dark December night in Germany.
Unfortunately, the tanker in front failed to see Barker after he turned off his lights and reversed into what the driver thought was a parking space. In the accident that followed Barker did not regain consciousness for three weeks and lost a leg.
Now 17 months later, thanks to his dauntless courage and with a great deal of help from his employer, Norman Lewis Tankers of North Humberside, Jeff is embarking on a career as a specialist trainer in the carriage of dangerous goods.
The company, whose drivers visited Jeff regularly while he was in hospital in Germany, have set up a dedicated training centre at its depot and put him in charge of training for their own drivers and running ADR courses for external trainees.
Jeff has used the time, and the enforced captivity since his amputation, qualifying at City & Guilds level in every aspect of dangerous goods except radioactivity.
He is qualified in package and tanks and looks forward to welcoming his first trainees this month.
by the Hawk