According to Statesman, investigators believe reckless driving—specifically, racing—may have played a role in the tragic collision that killed an 8-year-old boy and his 1-year-old stepbrother earlier this month. Police have arrested and charged the 18-year-old motorist who was involved in the fatal crash.
Because of their sheer size, trucks are much harder to maneuver in traffic than passenger vehicles. If commercial drivers are transporting a full cargo load, they must also take into account their tractor-trailer’s weight when making judgment calls in traffic.
When it comes to sideswipe accidents, the actual force of impact may be minor, but the repercussions that result are often devastating. Even at slow speeds, a sideswipe crash can push a vehicle off the road or into oncoming traffic.
Trucks can do serious damage to passenger vehicles—and their occupants—in the event of a collision. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 97 percent of the fatalities that resulted from two-vehicle crashes involving a truck and a car in 2016 were car occupants.
According to News West 9, an East Texas man died earlier this month as the result of his involvement in a rear-end collision between a pickup truck and an 18-wheeler. The crash happened on State Highway 302 in Ector County at around 8 p.m. on a Friday.
Trucking is a fairly demanding job, but unlike other taxing positions, commercial drivers who fail to prioritize their health are not only putting themselves at risk but also everyone on the road around them. For example, truckers who do not get adequate sleep before getting behind the wheel are at risk of causing a devastating collision.
Motor vehicle collisions are far more common in this country than they should be. In recent years, there have been more than 6,000,000 police-reported accidents annually with more than 30,000 traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Due to the confidential nature of many settlements, no further information can be shared.
Disclaimer: The following are representative verdicts and settlements obtained by The Cooper Law Firm for its clients. The value of a personal injury claim is highly dependent on the facts of each individual case and the severity of the injuries sustained. As such, the following should not be considered a guarantee of a particular result in any potential case or claim.
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
Death
18-WHEELER WRECK
Death
18-WHEELER WRECK
Brain/Neck Injury
18-WHEELER WRECK
Neck Injury
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
Scaffold Collapse
Cooper Law Firm handles cases throughout the state of Texas and Oklahoma.
