Gundagai mechanic, Jarrod Bell, remains in hospital after a communication error resulted in a truck running over his legs. Had he moved ever so slightly in another direction, he wouldn’t be able to tell his tale.
Now, he and his wife, Michelle Bell, are asking the transport industry to wake up in a demand for more action on safety standards within the trucking industry.
The day started like any other on June 2 after the heavy vehicle mechanic was called out to repair a B-double’s brakes near Jugiong.
The temporary repair (commonly performed by mechanics Australia-wide to get trucks back on the road in a moment’s notice) was designed to fix the breaks of the B-double, which had locked up at the top of Steam Engine Hill due to an air leak in the braking system from a failed booster.
The truck driver had successfully stopped at a truck stop before Mr Bell arrived.
Mr Bell’s decade of experience in the industry proved the leaking brake was no match for his skills and he quickly got to work fixing it. The only assistance he needed while under the truck, was for the driver to release the brakes while he listened for a leak beneath the vehicle. No movement of the truck was required, particularly given his compromising position.
Using simple and precise terminology, Mr Bell instructed the driver that he would be beneath the vehicle and asked him not to move the truck while he was under.
Asking if the driver understood, Mr Bell says he was met with a blank expression and a “yes, yes okay”.
Placing himself beneath the vehicle, and fairly confident in the driver’s grasp of his instructions, he never would have expected to later find himself in the hospital following a ‘degloving’ incident.
Starting the truck, the driver proceeded to drive forward before reversing, seemingly unaware of the mechanic now stuck beneath him.
“When he drove forward, I froze,” says Mr Bell.
“I couldn’t get out… I had to latch on to the truck and I was dragged back and forth.
“Survival mode kicked in.”
Mrs Bell says her husband has “fairly large” calf muscles, which ultimately saved his bones from breaking beneath the heavy weight. It wasn’t enough to stop his left calf muscle from being torn to shreds.
“My left leg and my right leg had been caught underneath the middle axle tyres,” he says.
“The truck squashed my right-hand boot into my calf muscle.”
After the truck was removed, Mr Bell says he was quick to see how severe the accident had been after blood began to pour out of his leg.
Thinking quickly, he fashioned a tourniquet from his belt and called Triple Zero himself, fearing the worst outcome.
Mr Bell was rushed to Yass Hospital before being ushered into a trauma Ambulance and taken to Canberra Hospital, where he still remains.
Mr Bell’s family-run business, Eureka Truck Repairs, has now been forced to shut down temporarily while he prepares for a gruelling few months of recovery, and says he has already been informed his leg will likely be deformed for the rest of his life.
Mrs Bell says she’s thankful that this time around, it was just his legs, however next time, she may not see him again.
This time spent in recovery has given both Mr and Mrs Bell time to consider just how dangerous communication issues can be within the industry, and Mr Bell says it’s vital that truck drivers are able to understand and communicate English.
In an online post, Mr Bell stated, “Now while I sit here, with this vac wound machine on my leg and nothing better to do, I’ve gotta ask… where does it end?”
“Truth is, I should’ve been able to give clear instructions in English to a driver and have him understand me.
“99 percent of the English speaking drivers I’ve ever attended have done the same for me and the job has been successfully completed.
“I know it’s easy for me to find passion given my recent accident, but I’ve always held and expressed these views: Expected someone to be able to perform basic communication
in English, I believe, should be a prerequisite for a driving position moving forward.
“The next mechanic might not be so lucky to see his family again as I have.”
Eureka Truck Repair is the family’s main source of income, and Mrs Bell says their closure has taken a huge hit on their finances; all because a driver didn’t understand simple directions.
Mr Bell has already undergone three surgeries, and says he wants to see a change in the industry safety standards to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
His wife says that while this is a callout for greater communication skills, she does not in any way condone racist opinions or comments about any truckies in Australia and says this is an issue for anyone, regardless of skin colour and background.
“We’re not asking for all truck drivers to be born in Australia, we condone those who have moved here for a better life for their families. We condone those who have made the extreme effort to learn our language and our way of life and thank them for doing so.”
The trucking company in question has been a close customer of Eureka’s for almost 10 years, and Mrs Bell says they hold no ill will against them.
“We have looked after them and they have looked after us to keep our small family run business going,” she says.
“We have no hard feelings for the company and we look forward to continue working with them.”
Due to the incident, Mr Bell was forced to celebrate his son’s 11th birthday in hospital – something he never thought he would have to do.
His surgeries haven’t gone to plan either, with an infection and skin graft just the start of his recovery process. He is likely going to require more surgeries in the future.
Servicing the entire region from Tumblong, Tumut and Gundagai to Tarcutta, Adelong and Yass, Mrs Bell says they are incredibly thankful for the support they have already received from the community.
For now, the couple plans to double down on their message to transport companies.
“This is a plea to all trucking companies from the wife of a truck mechanic that has been fixing your trucks up and down the highway for 10 years,” she says.
“Please don’t put drivers in trucks if they cannot speak and understand English adequately.”
Mr Bell has garnered support from several mechanics, clients and trucking organisations online who agree that an overhaul on safety for drivers is vital – including having good English communication skills.
The driver of the truck has been stood down pending further investigations.
Elizabeth Kovacs
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