Anyone who has driven by a truck escape ramp has probably contemplated what it must be like to careen your out of control 18-wheeler off a highway and up a mountainside. Steve Staeger set out to learn how often these ramps are used, and what happens after the truck goes flying up.
Here is some more info on how they work:
Truck escape ramps are used as a traffic tool on steep, sustained grades to check high vehicle speeds in emergencies. The ramps use a combination of momentum-halting media like gravel or sand and an incline to bring runaway vehicles to a halt.