Kapuskasing, Ontario — Dawna Jacobsen, a professional transport driver hauling for Erb Transport Ltd out of New Hamburg, Ontario, has officially been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for her life-saving response to a highway collision. On a dark December evening in Northern Ontario, Jacobsen was operating her rig down Highway 11 just west of Kapuskasing around 6 p.m. when she spotted erratic lights ahead. Recognizing an immediate hazard, she activated her hazard flashers, slowed down, and maneuvered her heavy commercial vehicle to the right to protect the scene from oncoming traffic.
Her swift defensive driving prevented an oncoming southbound truck from running over a 12-year-old boy who lay seriously injured on the asphalt. The youth had been riding a snowmobile with friends when he was struck by a vehicle while attempting to cross the highway. Upon securing the area with her rig, Jacobsen approached the victim, discovered severe injuries to his legs, and immediately dialed 911. Two other motorists stopped to assist while waiting fifteen minutes for emergency medical personnel to arrive. Jacobsen later handed over crucial dash-cam footage to local police investigating the incident.
Tom Boehler, senior director of safety and compliance at the TCA, reviewed the onboard camera footage and confirmed that Jacobsen's positioning stopped the trailing southbound truck from driving directly over the victim. Sheldon Wheeler, a representative for Erb Transport, praised the veteran driver for her situational awareness and cool head under pressure. The recognition highlights the vital safety role professional drivers play on North American highways every day, often serving as the first line of defense when emergencies strike far from populated areas.
What This Means for Drivers
Incidents like this underscore the heavy responsibility carried by every CDL-A driver sharing public roads with passenger vehicles and recreational traffic. Professional operators must maintain constant vigilance, scanning far down the road to spot unexpected hazards such as unlit obstacles, stranded motorists, or accidents in low-visibility conditions. Proper use of four-way flashers and controlled defensive positioning can shield accident scenes from secondary collisions, protecting both crash victims and responding emergency workers. Fleets and owner-operators alike rely heavily on onboard dash-cam systems not only for liability protection and exoneration but also to assist law enforcement officers in piecing together critical accident reconstruction data.
Industry Reaction
Safety advocacy groups frequently point to highway rescue actions by long-haul truckers to counter negative public stereotypes and demonstrate the high caliber of professional operators navigating North American freight corridors. Programs like the TCA Highway Angel initiative actively track and celebrate these acts of heroism, proving that professional drivers are often the most capable and prepared first responders on rural and remote routes. Motor carriers consistently emphasize that hazard recognition training remains a core pillar of commercial fleet operations, ensuring drivers know exactly how to secure a dangerous crash scene without risking their own safety.
Key Points
- Erb Transport driver Dawna Jacobsen was named a TCA Highway Angel for rescuing an injured snowmobiler.
- The incident occurred on Highway 11 west of Kapuskasing in Northern Ontario around 6 p.m. on a winter evening.
- Jacobsen's quick truck maneuver and hazard lights blocked oncoming traffic from hitting the 12-year-old victim.
- Dash-cam footage from her commercial truck was provided to police and confirmed her life-saving actions.
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