Big Rig Crash Traps Child in Minivan
I’m Ed Smith, a Turlock personal injury lawyer. A pileup involving six vehicles and a big rig occurred near Turlock on the morning of Monday, August 21, 2017. The collision injured two people, including a 3-year-old boy.
Initial Accident Details
According to Ming Hsu, an officer for the California Highway Patrol (CHP), an initial accident involving three vehicles took place along northbound Highway 99 in the vicinity of Fulkerth Street at approximately 10:52 am. What precipitated the crash was a bed liner to a pickup truck that was located in the middle of the northbound fast lane. Reports indicated that no one was injured in the collision, however, traffic was backed up to Main Street. Then, about 15 minutes later, a nasty mutli-vehicle collision took place.
Pileup Involving Several Vehicles
A 51-year-old man was driving a freight liner with a tandem trailer loaded with bins of raisins. The man allegedly failed to slow down his truck in time to avoid the traffic stopped ahead. The big rig collided with several vehicles, causing a chain reaction pileup with six other cars.
The impact of the collision propelled the freight liner on top of a minivan and crushed the roof of the vehicle. A 3-year-old boy was secured in his car seat in the third row of the minivan. A tow truck was dispatched to the scene to remove the truck off the minivan to allow firefighters to safely extricate the young victim.
Was Anybody Injured?
A female passenger in another car complained of pain and was taken via ground ambulance to the Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock. The 3-year-old boy in the minivan also complained of pain and suffered poor circulation. The boy was transported via air ambulance to the Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera.
Accidents Involving Large Trucks
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a large truck is defined as any medium or heavy truck, with a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 10,000 pounds. Approximately 111,000 victims suffered injuries and 3,903 victims were killed in accidents involving large trucks in 2014. About 438,000 large trucks were involved in police-reported traffic collisions that same year in the United States alone.
One may wonder why truck accidents occur. Such occurrences are caused by:
- Inadequate Training Regarding Safe Driving
- Following Too Closely
- Improper Turning Maneuvers
- Failure to Maintain a Proper Lookout
- Unrealistic Expectations of Trucking Companies Regarding Expected Delivery Times
- Violations of Federal Laws and Regulations Regarding Rest Periods and Hours
Collisions involving large trucks are most likely to result in severe personal injuries or even death when compared to automobile accidents. It is important to seek medical attention immediately after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Preserving evidence quickly is also essential to a truck accident case. For more information, contact an experienced Turlock personal injury lawyer.
Turlock Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Turlock personal injury lawyer. Truck accidents can be unpredictable. Such collisions can cause a victim to suffer traumatic or even fatal injuries. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured due to a negligent truck driver, please call me at (209) 227-1931 for free, friendly advice. Or, I may be contacted toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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Information Source: http://www.modbee.com/news/local/turlock/article168721542.html
Photograph Source: Wikimedia Commons
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