Trucker shouts out Colorado trooper for helping after he lost engine management while descending mountain pass
A truck driver is publicly recognizing a Colorado State Patrol (CSP) trooper for stepping in during a tense mechanical issue on La Veta Pass earlier this month.
According to the driver, the trooper responded with “patience, reassurance, and a commitment to safety” after the truck experienced a loss of engine management while descending the mountain pass.
While the driver did not describe every detail of the mechanical failure, the situation highlights the kind of problem that can quickly turn serious in Colorado’s high-country terrain, where long grades and tight curves leave little room for error.
The moment also lands amid broader conversations around commercial vehicle safety and compliance in Colorado. Interstate 70, for example, includes many truck-safety warnings—often only in English—between Genesee and Colorado Mills Parkway, alerting drivers to steep grades, sharp curves, recommended gear changes, and the locations of runaway truck ramps.
Separate enforcement actions have pointed to safety concerns that can compound risks on mountain routes, including cases where carriers employed drivers who could not understand English highway signs. In other incidents referenced in the raw material, troopers have encountered drivers who struggled to answer basic questions during stops.
For working drivers, the La Veta Pass incident is a reminder of a few practical realities:
- Mechanical issues can escalate fast on descents, even when a driver is doing everything right.
- Clear communication matters during roadside responses, especially in high-risk locations.
- Professional, safety-focused assistance from enforcement can help stabilize a bad situation before it becomes a crash.
The driver’s shout-out underscores a point many in the industry recognize: mountain driving isn’t just about equipment and training—it’s also about how quickly and calmly a situation is managed when something goes wrong.