A destroyed truck and large sign on the side of a Columbus County highway have no doubt caught the attention of thousands of drivers, and the fire chief behind the display hopes the message will shock people into yielding to emergency vehicles on the road.
"The message is: Put down your phones, pay attention to what's going on, give us your undivided attention, so that way we can remain safe," said Steve Camlin, chief of Acme-Delco-Riegelwood Fire-Rescue.
The sign in all-caps reads, "The results of not paying attention to emergency lights & vehicles on a traffic scene."
The mutilated truck is not a random vehicle. It’s a fire department truck that was destroyed in a fiery crash and now serves as a warning symbol.
The explosive accident on Dec. 10, 2018 involved a tractor-trailer crashing into the firefighter’s vehicle, and then plowing into a family’s car as they received assistance from first responders.