Coroner Identifies Airman Killed in Benicia Truck Accident
The name of an airman from Travis Air Force Base who died on August 4 following a crash with a tractor-trailer along the Benicia-Martinez Bridge was released by the coroner’s office in Solano County.
My prayers and sympathy go out to the family and friends of this young airman in their time of sorrow.
What Happened
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Contra Costa County reported that Patricia Roy, age 22, was traveling north in a Honda along Interstate 680 across the bridge following behind a tractor-trailer truck that was moving slowly at just after 6:00 in the morning. The woman’s vehicle hit the semi in the rear, changed direction suddenly from the impact of the crash and struck the wall on the other side of the bridge. The office of the county coroner reports that the young woman expired at the accident scene 16 minutes after the collision that morning.
CHP Report
According to a representative of the CHP, Roy was not utilizing her seat belt and traveling at an excessive speed, which may have contributed to the crash. Neither drugs nor alcohol was a component in this accident. Traffic was closed along northbound I-680 and westbound I-780 for several hours while an investigation was conducted.
Crashes Involving Large Trucks
Truck accidents involving a tractor with an attached trailer account for 62 percent of all fatal truck accidents with another motor vehicle and 48 percent of those with injuries alone, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Reasons for truck accidents include driver fatigue, speeding, distraction, obscured vision, failing to stay in their lane and not yielding to other vehicles. Multiple trailers attached to a single tractor tend to have decreased fatal accidents as well as non-fatal ones.
Rear-End Collisions With a Truck
Rear-end collisions are common. There are several reasons this happens. In situations where a truck is following too close to the motor vehicle in front of them, accidents commonly happen when traffic slows. Since large trucks take, on average, the length of two football fields at highway speeds to stop, it is likely a rear-end collision will occur. The use of collision avoidance technology or CAT would reduce such accidents by 80 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Using this technology, when a truck is too close to another vehicle, an alarm sounds and tells the driver to apply the brakes. Since the technology is able to monitor speed and distance, a driver usually has enough time or is able to apply a diversion technique.
Another safety technology currently being evaluated is the use of automatic emergency braking, according to motor.com. It is estimated that by the year 2022, 99 percent of trucks will have this technology installed.
Maintaining the Speed Limit on the Highway
The maximum speed limit for most interstates in California is 65 mph, however, some roadways allow 70 mph. There is also a minimum speed limit. On most rural interstates that speed is 45 mph. On a four-lane highway with a median, it is 65 mph, while other highways limit the minimum speed to 55 mph. If a truck fails to maintain a minimum speed, traffic behind the truck may be more likely to rear-end the truck. However, drivers need to be alert for speed discrepancies on the roads.
Wrongful Death in Truck Accidents
Failure to obey the rules of the road and driving in a reckless manner can result in the death of other drivers. The decedent’s family may rely on the individual for support and family comfort. After an accident where another driver was negligent, the financial trauma family experiences may be alleviated by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. In addition, if the decedent suffered before dying, aware that death was imminent, a personal injury lawsuit called a survival action can also be filed. Its name implies that the injury the person suffered survived his or her death.
Related Articles by Benicia Car Accident Lawyer, Ed Smith:
Benicia Car Accident Lawyer & Wrongful Death Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Benicia car accident lawyer. Accidents occur unexpectedly and can cause the untimely death of a loved one. If your family member died because of a negligent driver, please give me a phone call at (707) 564-1900. I am honored to offer you friendly advice, and it is free of cost. You can also call me at (800) 404-5400.
Working as an injury lawyer since 1982, the members of my firm and I have been successful in obtaining fair compensation in many wrongful death and traumatic injury cases.
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