Dramatic I-70 Video Shows Semi Truck Using Runaway Ramp

Colorado troopers share video of semi truck using runaway ramp on I-70

The Colorado State Patrol has shared video of a runaway semi truck entering an escape ramp on westbound Interstate 70 near Eisenhower Pass, using the footage to remind commercial drivers and motorists why the ramps are available and how they should be used.

CSP said the video was recorded recently as the truck traveled downhill on westbound I-70. The agency did not release additional details about the truck, its cargo or whether anyone was injured. Troopers said the video is intended to encourage drivers to use a runaway truck ramp when necessary and to help the public understand how to respond when a commercial vehicle is experiencing a brake-related emergency.

Runaway truck ramps are designed for heavy vehicles that cannot maintain control while descending a steep grade, often because of overheated or failed brakes. The ramps use an uphill grade, arrestor bed or other design features to bring a vehicle to a stop away from regular traffic.

Colorado has 13 runaway truck ramps, including several along major mountain routes. The Lower Straight Creek ramp on westbound I-70 at mile marker 211.83 is described by CSP as the most heavily used runaway truck ramp in Colorado and the most frequently used in the United States. It is located along the descent through the mountains west of the Eisenhower and Johnson Memorial Tunnels.

CSP said runaway ramps are used most frequently during the summer, when mountain highways carry heavier traffic and commercial vehicles make frequent downhill runs. The agency also reported that 65% of drivers who have used an I-70 runaway ramp had five years or less of driving experience.

That statistic does not establish why a driver entered or bypassed a ramp, but it underscores the importance of training and preparation for drivers operating in mountainous terrain. Drivers must recognize warning signs, monitor vehicle speed and brake condition, and make decisions before a truck reaches the point where braking becomes ineffective.

Key areas for overheated brakes on I-70 include westbound traffic east of Silverthorne near Exit 205 and eastbound traffic near Georgetown at Exit 228. Once a truck begins accelerating beyond the driver’s control, options can disappear quickly.

CSP has also warned that using a conventional highway exit is not a substitute for a runaway truck ramp. In a separate incident described by the agency, a truck hauling baking soda lost its brakes while traveling eastbound and passed a runaway ramp before taking the Morrison exit. The truck crossed U.S. 93 and came to rest in a Colorado Department of Transportation lot. No cross traffic was present when the truck crossed the highway.

Colorado State Patrol Major JP Burt said an off-ramp does not have the same mechanism to slow an out-of-control truck and can create a serious hazard at the bottom of the intersection. The incident occurred along a route where a 2019 runaway truck crash killed four people after the vehicle continued into the Denver West area and struck vehicles stopped in traffic.

For drivers who see a runaway truck approaching from behind, CSP advises remaining calm and attempting to merge to the left. Because Colorado’s runaway ramps are located on the right shoulder, moving left can give the truck a clear path to the ramp and reduce the chance of a collision.

Colorado transportation officials advise truck drivers who need to use an escape ramp to move into the far-right lane as early as possible. As the truck enters the ramp, the driver should keep the wheels aligned, steer straight and remain near the center of the narrow ramp to reduce the risk of a rollover.

After the truck has stopped, drivers should call 911, even when there are no apparent injuries. A disabled vehicle on an escape ramp may require a specialized recovery response, and emergency personnel need to know the vehicle’s location and condition.

The video shared by CSP shows the intended outcome of an emergency decision: directing an uncontrolled heavy vehicle away from highway traffic and onto a facility built to stop it. For professional drivers descending Colorado’s mountain grades, the agency’s message is straightforward—runaway ramps are an emergency safety measure, not a last resort to be avoided when the brakes are failing.