An accident that involves a large truck is more likely to be fatal than a collision between two passenger vehicles. As Tampa Bay residents know well, trucks are heavier and more powerful than other vehicles. This difference in weight and power makes a truck an extremely dangerous piece of machinery if operated by a negligent trucker.
Locally, one truck hauling gasoline dragged a smaller passenger car along Causeway Boulevard. According to a recent news article, a car driven by a 19-year-old woman and heading east on the street slowed down near the 86th Street intersection. At that same time, a semi-truck approached the smaller vehicle and rear-ended it.
The truck then pushed the car several yards before the truck came to a complete stop. According to the trucker, he did not see the car. According to at least one source, authorities are still baffled about why the car slowed down and came to a full stop on the street, although certainly that does not automatically excuse the truck driver for his part in the accident. The 48-year-old trucker was uninjured, and the truck did not seem to leak any fuel. The victim died at the scene. Charges are still pending, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, which is investigating the accident.
Commercial trucks have the potential to inflict catastrophic, even deadly injuries. Many truck accidents where huge trucks collide or run over smaller passenger vehicles end tragically. In many cases, the chances of those in a smaller vehicle surviving a truck accident are not good. Studies have demonstrated that drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles are more likely to die in a crash with a large truck.
Accidents involving trucks are also complicated matters as trucks are subject to numerous federal trucking regulations. An expert’s eye may be necessary to evaluate the unique circumstances of each case. In many cases, truckers’ negligence, fatigue and distraction may have played a part in the accident.
The victim and the victim’s family may therefore wish to consider retaining the services of a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. A legal professional can listen and provide advice based on his or her experience. The legal professional may also be able to obtain financial compensation for the victim for his or her loss and grief.
Source: NewsTalkFlorida.com,” Teen dies in crash on causeway,” July 25, 2013
