Trucking News

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December 11, 2010
Tractor Trailer Crash Leads to Man’s Death
A man died from fatal injuries on Saturday, two days after his car was rear-ended by a tractor trailer. According to officials, the 66-year-old man was traveling on I-20, just east of Abilene, Texas, on Thursday, when he saw warning lights and slowed. A semi then slammed into the back of the man’s car. He was taken to the hospital where he succumbed to fatal injuries on Saturday. The fatal truck crash is under investigation.

December 1, 2010
Woman Killed After Trailer Detaches from Semi
The trailer of an 18-wheeler became unhitched and caused a crash that killed a woman on Wednesday morning. According to authorities, a tractor trailer and a car were both traveling on Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, California when the trailer of the semi came lose and struck the car. The driver of the car, a 47-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. The fatal truck crash is being investigated.

November 19, 2010
Big Rig Crash Kills College Freshman, Injures Three Others
An 18-year-old college student was killed and three others were injured in a crash involving a tractor trailer on Friday night. The crash occurred in Wyandot County, Ohio. According to officials, the girl was traveling with three classmates on State Rt. 15 when a tractor trailer pulled out in front of their SUV. The two vehicles collided, killing the young woman and injuring her three class-mates. The group was headed home for the Thanksgiving break when the crash occurred. The fatal crash is under investigation.

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October 26, 2010
Tractor Trailer and Train Collide, Killing One
A semi driver was killed on Tuesday when his tractor trailer collided with a cargo train in Williams County, North Dakota. According to officials, the 18-wheeler was hauling oil when it crashed with the cargo train on the 54th Street crossing.  The crash sparked a fire that firefighters battled to extinguish. The crash is under investigation but initial reports say that the tractor trailer was attempting to cross the tracks moments before the crash occurred. This is the second time a crash has occurred at this crossing, officials said. Last October, an Amtrak train collided with a semi truck.

October 21, 2010
Two Women Seriously Injured in Tractor Trailer Crash Awarded $9 Million
A Fresno County civil jury has awarded $9 million to two Fresno women who were critically injured in a 2008 tractor trailer crash. The women filed a lawsuit against Missouri-based Hussmann Corp. in the wake of a serious crash involving their vehicles and a company semi. On April 11, 2008, the two women were in their vehicles on Highway 180 in Fresno when they were both rear-ended by a Hussmann tractor trailer. Susan Lutz suffered a traumatic brain injury which left her unable to work. She was awarded nearly $2 million. Clarice Brewer, who was awarded $7.3 million, suffered catastrophic injuries during the crash and as a result is unable to walk.

August 16, 2010
Mother Killed and Two Sons in Critical Condition
after Multi Vehicle Crash Involving Three Semis
A woman is dead and her two young sons in critical condition after a multi-vehicle accident involving five cars and three tractor trailers occurred near the 190-mile marker of the Ohio Turnpike on Monday. According to authorities, the woman and her two sons were traveling on the eastbound lane of the turnpike when they were struck by a tractor trailer. Their vehicle was then pushed into the rear corner of a second tractor trailer. The 47-year-old mother was pronounced dead at the scene and her two sons – a 10-year-old and a a16-year-old – were rushed to the hospital by helicopter where they remain in critical condition. The fatal crash remains under investigation.

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July 6, 2010
Bereaved Mother Receives $5 Million From PG&E in Wrongful Death Case
PG&E has agreed to pay $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a 2006 PG&E truck crash that claimed the life of 20-year-old Mary Bernstein and her boyfriend Robert Conway. Bernstein’s mother carried out a dramatic legal battle against PG&E, claiming the company was responsible for the driver of the truck, a diabetic, who authorities said blacked out moments before the crash.

The utility company had originally offered Mrs. Bernstein $3 million, but when they refused to support legislation aimed at holding companies accountable for their drivers, she insisted on going to trial even if the awarded amount was far smaller. In the end, Bernstein came to an understanding with PG&E, who agreed to pay a much higher value of $5 million and agreed to record the settlement as a judgment, allowing future victims to look up the case. Lastly, PG&E agreed to support legislation being sought by Bernstein which will make companies more responsible for their drivers. "I was unwilling to let Mary's death go unnoticed," Bernstein said. Now, "I think Mary would approve because she really loved people and this agreement will make the roads safer for people."

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May 26, 2010
New Semi Truck Legislation on the Horizon
According to BH truck accident attorney, Robert Foss, one of the major causes of trucking accidents is driver fatigue.  This is one of the primary topics being addressed as the United States Senate and the Truck Safety Coalition work to improve trucking safety throughout the country.

April 7, 2010
Woman and Daughter Killed in Crash Involving Tractor Trailer
A woman and her 11-year-old daughter were killed on Wednesday when an 18-wheeler failed to stop for a traffic light and slammed into their car. The accident occurred in Bethpage, Long Island at the intersection of Hicksville Road and Central Park Avenue. According to officials, two other cars were involved in the deadly collision and two other people were injured. The crash is under investigation.

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March 25, 2010
Dump Truck Driver Under Illegal Substance
Slams into Motorcyclists, Killing Four and Injuring Five
Four motorcyclists were killed and five others were injured when a dump truck failed to stop and plowed into them as they sat at a stop light at 27th Drive and Carefree Highway in Phoenix, on Thursday. According to police, Michael Jakscht was driving a large Blue Sky Sanitation truck when he failed to stop and collided with the rear of eight motorcycles before bursting into flames. Witnesses reported a horrific scene where some riders were trapped under the truck and dragged 50 to 75 yards. Three people were killed instantly and a woman later died at the hospital. Five others were seriously injured, including 22-year veteran Phoenix Fire Captain Ernie Lizarraga, Who remains in critical condition.

Toxicology reports taken after the crash show that the driver of the truck was on methamphetamines during the fatal collision. According to the Phoenix Police Department, Jakscht has been arrested and charged with four counts of manslaughter, five counts of aggravated assault and seven counts of endangerment. Reports have also revealed Jakscht’s troubled past. He was cited in 2005 for operating a semi with excess weight and in 2006 for operating a truck with unsafe parts or accessories. Jakscht also had two pending speeding tickets that were issued this month. Jakscht is being held under $1 million bond pending an April 13th hearing. The fatal accident is still under investigation.

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March 17, 2010
Man Critically Injured In Crash Involving Semi
A man was critically injured after a tractor trailer slammed into his vehicle on Highway 75 in Grayson County, Texas on Wednesday. According to authorities, traffic had slowed due to a narrowed lane when the tractor trailer rear-ended the vehicle and side swiped another. The tractor trailer then barreled through a medium and into oncoming traffic before coming to rest in a patch of grass. The truck driver was cited for failure to control speed. The crash is under investigation.

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January 24, 2010
Tractor Trailer Collides with Passenger Van, Killing 2 and Injuring 16 Others
A tractor trailer struck the back of a full size passenger van on interstate 65 in Shelby County, Indiana on Sunday morning, killing two people inside the van.  The crash also injured another 16 people who were taken to area hospitals. Some of the injuries were reported as critical. The crash occurred as both the van and the big rig were traveling northbound on I-65. Witnesses say the van appeared to slow before it was struck from behind and pushed off the roadway by the truck. According to witnesses, the tractor trailer was weaving on the highway before the fatal collision occurred. The driver of the truck received minor injuries. The fatal crash is under investigation.

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January 21, 2010
One Person Killed in Head On Collision Between Red Cross Truck and Semi
A 28 year-old man was killed when an American Red Cross box truck and a semitrailer collided on Wednesday afternoon on Illinois 3 in Alexander County, Illinois. State police report that the Red Cross truck was traveling southbound when it crossed the center lane and slammed head-on with the big rig. The head on collision killed the passenger of the Red Cross box truck who was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Red Cross truck and the driver of the tractor trailer were injured, authorities said. The fatal collision is being investigated.

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January 7, 2010
4 Killed, 7 Injured After Semi and Bus Crash
Four people were killed and another seven injured when a commercial truck crashed into a bus at about 1 p.m. on Thursday. The crash occurred when a Mack commercial tanker truck lost control and jackknifed as it was traveling on Interstate 70 in Springfield, Ohio. It then crossed the median onto oncoming traffic and hit a passenger vehicle before smashing into the 2008 Chevrolet 17-seat bus. There were nine passengers and a driver aboard the bus, which was a shuttle bus from the Creative Learning Workshop, a center that provides vocational services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The driver of the bus and three passengers were pronounced dead at the scene and another seven people, including the driver of the semi, were taken to area hospitals with unspecified injuries. The fatal crash is under investigation.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/07/special-needs-crash.html

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