A Texas trooper picked a very good time to get out from underneath a dump truck.
Video shared by the Texas Department of Public Safety shows just how close the call was. Seconds after the trooper moved away from beneath the truck, a mechanical failure sent its load of caliche, a gravel-like material commonly used in road construction, spilling to the ground.
The close call happened during a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement operation in Hidalgo County, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s South Texas Region.
The trooper was underneath the dump truck as part of the inspection and had just moved away when things went wrong.
Fortunately, the trooper escaped without injury.
Watch: Texas Trooper Gets Out Just in Time
The 42-second video captures the inspection and the sudden failure. The trooper can be seen clearing the area before the dump truck’s load spills out, showing how little separated a routine inspection from a potentially serious accident.
DPS called what happened a “close call” and pointed to the incident as an example of why its Commercial Vehicle Enforcement troopers inspect trucks for potentially dangerous mechanical defects.
The agency did not say what part of the truck failed or provide additional details about the mechanical problem. It also did not identify the trooper or say whether the truck was placed out of service or whether any citations were issued.
Viewers React to the Close Call
People watching the video didn’t need much explanation to appreciate how narrowly the trooper avoided being caught underneath the truck.
“What a lucky officer,” one commenter wrote.
Another person took a more humorous approach, joking that the trooper might want to “check the pants” after realizing just how close the call had been.
Whatever you call it, luck, timing, or simply knowing when to move, those few seconds made all the difference.