On our way home from our last camping trip last week, we were almost involved with a similar type accident. I was in the right lane of a divided 2 lane freeway being passed by a semi hauling 2 flatbed trailers full of fruit/vegetables bins. It was around 3:30 in the afternoon and traffic was heavy, bumper to bumper. I was cruising at about 55 in a 60 MPH zone. Suddenly I saw smoke and watched as the semi locked up all his brakes, tires smoking and cars beginning to slide in every direction. Evidently something had slowed and almost stopped the car in front of the semi and he was going too fast and following too closely to stop. As I watched the impending doom, I searched for an out from being involved. Fortunately being in the right lane I had a good shoulder to ditch to as cars around the semi locked up their brakes and were skidding out of control into my lane. Somehow despite all the drama and tire smoke, no one hit anyone.
My observations. First I was surprised how many of the newer type cars that were around us evidently didn't have ABS as they were sliding sideways with the brakes locked. Semis in the left lane should always leave a good safety cushion, especially when fully loaded and hauling double trailers. Sometimes it is safer to travel slightly under the speed limit at the speed of traffic and arrive in one piece than have an accident and not show up at all. Always keep planning an escape route when driving. The right lane often gives you a better place (ie more room) than the left lane. I was travelling at the correct speed for my lane keeping an appropriate distance between me and the car ahead which gave me more options when things went badly and kept control of our rig without locking up the brakes. Even so, it was also a healthy dose of luck that kept us from being involved as I was at the mercy of those around me not to hit me. Thankfully the folks behind me were also keeping a safe distance back. This rarely happens in Seattle area traffic.
