Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Thirty-seven-year-old Jessica Lyn Wright was killed Monday when her 2009 Ford car was involved in a collision with a tractor trailer and a South Carolina Department of Transportation dump truck. The accident happened on the southbound side of Interstate 85, between the Brockman-McClimon Road and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport exits, near Greer, South Carolina. The collision, which happened at about 9:50 AM, is still under investigation. Ms. Wright was pronounced dead upon her arrival at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center at 10:53 AM. She had been partially ejected from her vehicle, and was airlifted to the hospital from the scene. The tractor trailer driver and the dump truck driver were both uninjured. At the time of the accident, Sixty-six-year-old Charles Ray Smith, of Casar, North Carolina, was driving the tractor trailer, and Twenty-two-year-old James Michael Pridemore, of nearby Inman, South Carolina, was driving the dump truck.

This was the third wreck of the morning along that stretch of I-85, as traffic was backed up throughout the morning hours. One of the earlier wrecks also involved tractor trailers. In that accident, a tractor trailer driver did not slow down in time to avoid traffic ahead of it, ran into a Honda Civic automobile, and then sideswiped another 18-wheeler. The at-fault tractor trailer driver was charged with following too closely.

The cause of the accident which caused the fatality is unknown, and the investigation is still ongoing by the South Carolina Highway Patrol, according to Lance Corporal Bill Rhyne.

At approximately 3:40 AM on Sunday, April 18, a pick-up truck passenger was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene, along Interstate 77 in Lexington County, South Carolina. Evidence at the scene indicates that the truck driver was traveling at a high rate of speed. The truck left the road, and flipped several times before stopping. No other vehicles are known to have been involved in the accident. Lexington County Coroner Harry Harman will release the passenger's name once the deceased's family has been notified.

Continue reading "Lexington County Pick-up Truck Accident Claims One Life" »

South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers are searching for a truck driver who hit another driver on I-77 near Rock Hill. The tractor trailer hit a 63-year-old woman's car on Friday morning at about 6:30 AM, pushing her through the cable barriers and across the interstate, where she collided with another 18 wheeler.

The first truck driver did not stop after the accident, and instead kept driving. Troopers are searching for a tractor trailer with a black cab and a silver trailer. Witnesses were unable to recall particular logos or markings on the 18 wheeler. The 63 year old and the driver of the second truck were not seriously injured.

Thanks to WSOC television for reporting.

Continue reading "Hit and Run Trucker Sought by South Carolina Highway Patrol" »

Senator Harry Reid's wife and daugher were involved in a four-vehicle wreck yesterday, leaving 69-year-old Landra Reid with a broken neck, a broken back, and a broken nose. The couple's 48-year-old daugher, Lana Reid Barringer, suffered a neck injury and facial lacerations, after a tractor trailer rear-ended their car. They were both transported by ambulance to a hospital in nearby Falls Church, Virginia.

The wreck happened at about 1 PM on I-95 in Fairfax County, Virginia, near Washington. Ms. Barringer was driving her Honda Odyssey van when a tractor trailer, carrying huge rolls of plastic, rear-ended them. The force from the 18 wheeler was so severe that the Honda crashed into a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which in turn collided with a fourth vehicle.

Both Mrs. Reid and Mrs. Barringer were wearing their seatbelts, and although Honda Odysseys are considered to be among the safest vehicles in their class, the tractor trailer still inflicted tremendous damage.

The 59-year-old trucker, Alan W. Snader, of Ohio, was charged with reckless driving after an investigation at the scene by state police. He was not injured.

Harry and Landra Reid were high school sweethearts, who married in 1959. They have five adult children. Mrs. Barringer has three children.

Continue reading "Harry Reid's Wife and Daughter Hit by a Tractor Trailer" »

Be alert and aware when driving.

Unfortunately, this warning came too late for two people in Dunn, North Carolina. On January 12, 2010, Bert Baytops of Newark, New Jersey and a female companion were fatally injured on Interstate 95 when apparently the driver fell asleep at the wheel. The car ran off the road and hit a guard rail and shot back on to the roadway where it rolled to a stop. A tractor trailer driving in the same direction unknowingly came upon the scene and could not stop in time before smashing into the car still in the middle of the roadway. The force of the impact caused the passenger to be thrown from the car. The car blew up with the driver still behind the wheel of the car. Interstate 95 was closed for over five hours.

Continue reading "Tractor-Trailer Crash on I-95 Causes Two Deaths" »

Imagine, one minute driving along the freeway without a care in the world, and the next minute looking in your rear view mirror and seeing nothing but the grill of a semi truck.

That’s exactly what happened to Carlos Perez of Geneva, New York, on August 21, 2009. Mr. Perez was driving his car with three other passengers, including two children, 12 and 5, on the New York State Thruway. Trucker Ronald J. Constable, Jr. of Earlton, New York was hauling kerosene on the same stretch of road. The trucker came upon Mr. Perez’ car which was cruising at 60 M.P.H. in the passing lane. He decided to "coax" Mr. Perez back into the right hand lane by maneuvering his tractor trailer within a few feet of the car. Mr. Perez responded to the tailgating maneuver by reducing the speed of his car. The truck driver then decided to coax Mr. Perez even further by ramming his Kerosene filled truck into the back of the Perez’ car several times. Mr. Perez pulled over to the side of the Thruway and Mr. Constable followed. Mr. Constable got out of his truck and approached Mr. Perez who was still seated in his car. He then proceeded to beat and choke Mr. Perez in front of the two children.

At this point a passing trooper saw the incident and stopped. The trucker was charged with felony reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment.

If anyone needs a reminder about just how dangerous truck accidents can be to the public, read this. On July 15, 2009 in Hazel Park, Michigan, a tractor-trailer exploded under an overpass causing the overpass itself to literally melt and disintegrate. The driver of a car was on a winding section of Interstate 75 when it lost control and spun into a passing semi. The semi was hauling over 13,000 gallons of fuel. It lost control and flipped, causing a second tractor-trailer carrying produce to crash as well.

The fuel tanker collided with an overpass rail, and fuel began to spew out over the highway. The fuel caught fire, sending the truck into explosive flames which began burning the overpass. The heat was so intense that the overpass began to melt and fell on top of the already burning big-rig. The collapse caused another, even bigger explosion according to passersby. Fortunately all three drivers escaped with only minor injuries and no deaths were reported.

Boy, were they lucky. This could easily have been an awful tragedy.

Continue reading "Michigan Big Rig Wreck Causes Overpass to Melt" »

On June 2, 2009, Christine Osterholtz of Lakeland, Florida was heading eastbound on Interstate 4 when she fell asleep. She was traveling in the center lane and her vehicle drifted into the far right lane into the pathway of a tractor trailer being driven by Michael Dacunto of Spring Hill. The impact to the left side of the truck caused both vehicles to slide across the entire breadth of I-4 and land on top of the guardrail separating them from the oncoming traffic. The tractor trailer flipped sideways and landed on top of Christine’s car pinning her and her car completely under the truck. Luckily the both drivers were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

Continue reading "Driver Falls Asleep at the Wheel and Ends up Under a Tractor-Trailer" »

According to reports, on June 3, 2009, four construction workers were on the way to their homes in Greenville, South Carolina, when the Ford pick-up they were in veered into oncoming traffic hitting the cab of tractor trailer head on. The collision caused a third vehicle to crash into the back of the big rig which was transporting a backhoe on a lowboy trailer. The driver of the pick-up, Jesus Zamora-Barrera, and his brother Juan died at the scene. Greenville County Deputy Kent Green stated that it appeared Jesus was wearing his seatbelt, but that the point of impact appeared to be the driver’s side of the truck. The other two passengers in the pick-up were severely injured and transported to Greenville Memorial Hospital. Fortunately, the driver of the big rig and the third vehicle' driver both appear to be uninjured.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer versus Ford Pick-Up in Greenville, South Carolina" »

On May 20, 2009, James Bush of Smyrna, Georgia lost his life when the big rig he was driving side-swiped another 18 wheeler near mile marker 158 in Interstate 20. Mr. Bush worked for the Pepsi Cola Company and was driving westbound on I-20 when he came upon Kenneth Woodfork of Doraville, Georgia, whose truck had broken down in the emergency lane. Unfortunately, Mr. Bush hit the disabled truck and lost control of his vehicle which veered off a steep embankment and then crashed into a stand of trees. It was later determined that Mr. Bush was not wearing his seatbelt and suffered extreme blunt force trauma to his head causing his death. Fortunately Mr. Woodfork only suffered minor injuries.

Two employees were killed and a third injured in an April 22 fueling mishap at Rutland Timber and Trucking, a company near Orangeburg, South Carolina. The employees were using a homemade fuel pump powered by the truck’s battery to move diesel fuel from a storage tank to a truck - when a massive explosion was touched off. The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Department and SLED (the State Law Enforcement Division) investigators have since determined that the diesel fuel contained an amount of gasoline. This cleared up one part of the investigation - diesel fuel alone is generally considered incapable of exploding. Still unanswered is how the gasoline came to be mixed with the diesel fuel. Thanks to the Orangeburg Times and Democrat for reporting. Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones in this tragedy.

Continue reading "Explosion at Orangeburg, South Carolina Trucking Company Takes the Lives of Two Employees" »

Two Holly Spring citizens barely escaped death when a dump truck driver lost control and overturned onto their Honda Civic.

Edmund Theodore Jackson, a resident of New Haven, Connecticut, was driving his dump trunk down Davis Road near Farm Pond Road when he lost control and veered off onto the right shoulder. Captain Everett Clendenin of the North Carolina Highway Patrol explained that Jackson then overcompensated and caused the truck to cross the center median into oncoming traffic where Kara Walden Benton was driving with Chad Michael Benton in a Honda Civic. Ms. Benton avoided a head-on collision by driving onto the shoulder of the road but still could not escape the dump truck which then tipped over directly on to the car. Chad Benton was able to quickly escape the vehicle before being treated at WakeMed but Ms. Benton was pinned inside the car for nearly two hours (!) before she was rescued and treated.

Continue reading "Dump Truck Tips Over Onto Honda Civic in Raleigh, North Carolina" »

A tractor trailer truck exploded into flames after it veered off an I-77 overpass onto Wilson Boulevard in Columbia, South Carolina. The truck overturned which caused about 75 gallons of diesel fuel to spill out over the engine and ignite. The truck driver escaped certain death when two Richland County deputies and a nearby motorist pulled him to safety. The fire caused damage to one support pillar and traffic was rerouted while the safety of the overpass was assessed.

Continue reading "Truck Plummets from Interstate 77 Overpass onto Wilson Boulevard in Columbia, South Carolina" »

A single vehicle incident on Interstate 40 in Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed the life of the driver of a tractor-trailer on April 27. The truck and box trailer burned after coming to rest at the outside shoulder. Several brave witnesses tried to rescue the driver from the wreckage, but were unable to free him before the fire engulfed the truck. Photographs from the scene show skid marks leading up to a jackknifed tractor-trailer. This suggests the driver may have slammed on his brakes, which may have led to the trailer jackknifing into the fuel tank. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident, however. Thanks to The News & Observer and WTVD for reporting.

Continue reading "Fatal Truck Accident in Raleigh, North Carolina" »

A construction worker trying to help free a stuck semi was killed on April 1 when the truck backed over him. The truck, pulling a flatbed load of concrete pipe, got stuck on a muddy dirt road. Kevin Armstrong, a site manager for Cooper River Construction, went behind the truck to attach a chain so a bulldozer could pull the truck free. The truck driver failed to verify the location of Mr. Armstrong, put the truck in reverse, and backed over him. Mr. Armstrong died at the scene.

Thanks to the Charleston, SC Post and Courier for reporting.

A Georgetown County, South Carolina collision between a Dodge Dakota and a logging truck on April 4, 2009, claimed the life of a passenger in the Dakota.

The Dakota was travelling in the Pleasant Hill community around 8:15 PM. Unfortunately, the Dodge was carrying a load of yard debris that reportedly was hanging over the back of the vehicle, obscuring the view of its rear lights. Georgetown residents Michael Elliott, age 28, and his son were riding in the bed of the Dodge pickup when the driver of a logging truck ran into the rear of the vehicle. Mr. Elliott died at the scene from his injuries. His son is expected to recover from his injuries. The driver of the Dodge pickup was charged with driving under the influence.

This collision had several contributing factors: an intoxicated driver, passengers in the bed of a pickup, and a load that covered the taillights. Any of these factors alone could lead to a tragedy, but the combination proved deadly when a multi-ton tractor trailer is the impacting vehicle.

Thanks to the Sun News and SCnow for reporting.

A February 20 collision near Savannah, Georgia between a dump truck and two trains claimed the life of the dump truck driver. The collision occurred near the entrance to the City of Savannah’s water treatment plant in Port Wentworth, Georgia. The driver of the dump truck, Solomon Mainer, worked for a contractor removing sediment from the ponds at the treatment plant. A CSX freight train struck Mr. Mainer’s truck at the crossing. The crossing has no protective gates. The collision with the CSX train threw the dump truck into the path of an Amtrak train, which then struck the truck. The collision with the two trains broke the truck apart, causing vehicle parts to strike at least one other vehicle. Mr. Mainer tragically died at the scene of the collision. Thanks to the Savannah Morning News.

Continue reading "Georgia Dump Truck / Train Collision Takes Life of Driver" »

As reported in the press today, the family of a young boy who was lost in a church bus wreck earlier this year has reached a settlement with the insurance companies who represent the driver of the bus. Young Austin Green passed away from injuries he received in the January 23, 2008 crash. The bus driver was cited for driving too fast for conditions after running off of Highway 178 not far from Liberty, South Carolina. The bus then tumbled down an embankment, before crashing into a tree. Austin's parents will receive $450,000.00 as part of the settlement. Our hearts go out to this young family.

One moment, Perry Miller and Patricia Miller were enjoying their drive, and the next, their Honda Accord was thrown off Interstate 20 south of Lexington, South Carolina in what is now being described as a "freak" tractor trailer accident.

Investigators are still trying to piece together what exactly happened in the October 28 crash. According to initial reports, the 2002 Freightliner tractor trailer was traveling on Interstate 20 in the westbound lane, when for some reason, its rear tires got detached, and flew right off across the median, and into the Miller's car. The tires landed on top of the Accord, leaving the couple inside with severe head injuries. The Honda was thrown off the road, and pushed down an embankment. According to reports, the couple died instantly.

The two were wearing seatbelts at the time of the truck accident, although it's doubtful how much of a safety impact these could have had, considering the massive physical force that must have been exerted by the heavy trailer tires landing on their car.

Freakish as this truck accident sounds, it's not all that rare. Investigations have yet to determine the cause of the tires becoming loose the way they did. One possibility is that there were maintenance or manufacturing defects that were at play here. According to tractor trailer mechanical experts, there could be several reasons why trailer tires could get detached. It is possible that the maintenance of the trailer could have been shoddy, as often happens when trucking companies attempt to cut overheads, and focus on profits. Over tightening or under tightening of the bolts could have caused the tires to become loose. There could also have been inferior quality or wrong parts used in the vehicle, which is again a result of poor fleet maintenance. The cause of this particular tragedy has yet to be determined.

Malfunctioning of parts leading to accidents is common when large commercial trucks are not maintained properly. When the vehicle is a large tractor trailer weighing tens of thousands of pounds, it's obvious that any truck accidents that result will only leave devastating consequences.

This is exactly why hiring an experienced truck accident attorney in the aftermath of a trailer accident is so important. Remember, no matter how much a truck accident seems like a freak accident, it rarely is. There is a sordid tale of negligence and just plain callousness that lies behind the massive destruction caused by most trucking accidents like this one. Experienced counsel in these kinds of cases can launch investigations into fleet maintenance records, to establish the presence of shoddy maintenance practices at the trucking company.

Continue reading "Lexington Tractor Trailer Accident Claims the Lives of a South Carolina Couple" »

A gasoline tanker merging onto westbound I-440 from Interstate 40 overturned and exploded just before 1 a.m. on August 26, 2008 in Raleigh, North Carolina. A witness reported that the tanker was clearly speeding when the trucker lost control of his rig. The tanker truck then reportedly overturned, skidded across the highway, and righted itself just before exploding into flames. The wreck ejected the trucker, who sustained severe injuries. Authorities closed I-440 for several hours. The enormous fire was so intense it scorched trees along the highway.

As I have noted several times on this blog, highway interchanges are frequently the location for big trucks overturning. I make it a practice to give all vehicles, particularly trucks, extra room on interchanges to give myself more time to react to speed changes and unusual behavior. Very often, however, other drivers just don't have time to react to poor driving by truck drivers, and severe injuries can result.

Be careful out there!

Continue reading "Raleigh, North Carolina Gas Tanker Fire Injures Driver" »

A trucker was cited for following too close after a 4 vehicle wreck in Effingham County, Georgia on September 14, 2008. The truck driver was following a Ford F-250 on Georgia Highway 17, when the Ford slowed to make a turn. The big rig struck the rear of the Ford, and then swerved into the oncoming lane, before hitting a mail truck head-on. The tractor-trailer then overturned on the highway.

A Ford Expedition following the rig swerved to avoid the wreck and ended up in the ditch, leaving its driver uninjured. Emergency medical services transported the driver of the Postal Service truck to a Savannah hospital. The trucker reportedly also was injured, but refused medical treatment at the scene.

Continue reading "Four Vehicle Tractor-Trailer Wreck Injures Two Near Savannah, Georgia" »

Three of ten passengers lost their lives on July 29, 2008 when their Toyota van collided with a logging truck on Interstate 95. The collision occurred at about 11:45 p.m. near the mile marker 170 rest area. The Florence County Coroner identified the victims as Abdurahman Abdurahman, age 20, Sofonias Debebe, also age 20, and Deraa Hago, age 8. The victims were reportedly residents of Arizona, Florida, and London, England, respectively. A fourth victim was airlifted to a North Carolina Hospital. The South Carolina Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) is investigating the collision. The logging truck was not carrying a load at the time of the collision.

While this collision does not appear to involve a projecting load, any logging truck wreck brings to mind the importance of properly flagging so-called extending loads on trucks or trailers. You've probably seen the red or neon orange flags tied to the end of a projecting log on the back of a logging truck. Have you ever wondered why? It's simple, really. You see, it is very easy for drivers to misjudge distance when a load extends beyond the end of a truck they're approaching.

For example, South Carolina law generally prohibits a load from extending more than 6 feet from the end of the bed of a truck. When a load extends 4 feet or more, there should be a red flag at least 12 inches by 12 inches attached to the end of the load. The entire surface of the flag must be visible, too. During times when vehicle lights must be displayed, a lantern may be substituted for the flag.

Our roads are becoming more crowded than ever, which increases the importance of warning other drivers. We all have a lot to watch out for on the roads these days and a little cooperation can save lives.

Thanks to SCnow.com and The State newspaper for reporting.

Continue reading "Three Perish in Florence County, South Carolina Collision with Logging Truck" »

A tanker truck crashed into a concrete median on Interstate 26 in Polk County, North Carolina last month, which shut down the interstate.

The tanker truck crashed into the barrier wall and then flipped onto its side. Chunks of concrete from the wall were thrown all over the interstate.

Thankfully, there were no injuries reported in the crash.

Continue reading "Columbus, North Carolina Tanker Truck Crash" »

Two single-car incidents last month on I-20 in Warren County, Georgia ended vastly different for their victims. In both cases, seat belt use could have made a difference. The first wreck was witnessed by Georgia State Trooper First Class Powell Allen, who was driving along rain-soaked Interstate 20 on the way to a separate wreck scene. Trooper Allen saw a SUV hydroplane and spin, then saw a teenager fly out of the vehicle. Amazingly, the teenager was not seriously injured and is expected to make a complete recovery. The second wreck involved a tractor-trailer driver whose vehicle left the roadway in the early morning on July 30, 2008, and crashed into the woods beside the road. Investigators found the body of the driver some 20 yards in front of the wreckage of the cab.

That teen was a very lucky young man. Some people point to stories like his to try to show that people can escape injury by not buckling up. But there was more to that story: none of the three other passengers in that SUV were injured in that incident. They all missed a ride to the hospital and the resulting bills and I suspect that the teen could have skipped the ambulance ride if he had buckled up.

Thanks to the McDuffie Mirror for reporting.

The collision between a fuel oil tanker truck and a Saturn Vue in the evening of August 20, 2008, ended with the deaths of the two occupants of the car and injuries to the truck driver. The wreck happened around 9:00 p.m. near the Florence county line, at the intersection of Highway 53 and Highway 341, at Hobbs Crossroads. Witnesses report the Saturn turned into the path of the truck, which then struck the Saturn’s passenger side. The truck overturned, puncturing the tank and spilling about 4,000 of the 7,000 gallons it carried. The truck driver was airlifted to Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia. Both occupants of the car, Travis Lee Wyatt of Florence, SC and Mac Elwood Floyd Jr. of Effingham, SC, died at the scene. The truck, based in Lake City, was returning from Charlotte. SC DHEC crews expected to complete their environmental cleanup by August 22.

Thanks to The State and WIS television for reporting.

This one was just too strange not to pass along. On July 16, a tractor-trailer travelling too fast overturned on the ramp between I-85 and I-77 in Charlotte, North Carolina when the cargo shifted. Unfortunately, this happens all too frequently, which I recently commented on. Thankfully, in this case, the driver wasn’t seriously injured and no other vehicles were involved.

What was unusual was the cargo: $269,000 in bagged coins. After some of the bags containing the coins were transferred to another truck, workers lifted the trailer back onto its wheels. The side of the wrecked trailer then burst, spilling loose coins onto the shoulder. Witnesses reported seeing the workers on their hands and knees picking up the coins and placing them in a large cooler before transferring to the replacement truck.

Thanks to the Charlotte Observer for reporting.

Continue reading "Familiar Story of Truck Overturning on Interstate Ramp-With a Twi$t" »

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured in a July 16, 2008, collision between a CSX train and a big rig pulling an empty trailer. Witness statements indicate that the signals were flashing and the driver stopped, but then tried to beat the train. The train struck the trailer of the rig, which probably spared serious injuries. The truck driver told investigators he did not see the warnings or the train. The driver was cited for disregarding a railroad crossing signal. In addition to destroying the trailer, the collision damaged the crossing signal and caused electrical damage to the train.

Think about the last time you saw a truck try to accelerate from a stop or slow speed. Even with an empty trailer, trucks just aren’t designed for quick acceleration. That shows just how foolish it is for a tractor-trailer driver to try to speed up to beat a train. I’m not suggesting anyone should try to beat a train, just that a truck has a worse than average chance of succeeding at a foolish stunt like this.

Trying to beat a train endangers not only the life of the driver of the vehicle, it also endangers the lives of the train crew and of bystanders that could be struck by a derailed train or flying debris. Drivers of tractor trailers have a special responsibility to the motoring public due to the sheer size of the vehicle they are driving.

Thanks to the Newberry, SC, Observer for reporting.

Continue reading "Prosperity, South Carolina Truck vs. Train Collision" »

A seven-vehicle collision was touched off by a tractor-trailer plowing into the rear of an SUV on Interstate 40 east of Asheville, North Carolina on July 2nd. Westbound traffic had backed up due to a lane closure while crews trimmed trees beside the highway. The tractor-trailer slammed into a line of waiting cars pushing several cars aside, while pushing others ahead and even knocking one over onto its roof.

One child, Haiden Bailey, was a passenger in the fifth of seven vehicles. He died of his injuries Wednesday at an Asheville hospital. Sixteen other people were involved in the collision, eleven of whom were taken to hospitals. Several remain in critical condition.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, 59 year old Carroll Jett of West Virginia, was not injured. Jett apparently did not heed posted warnings to slow down that reportedly were posted up to one mile from the tree trimming. Charges have not yet been filed against Jett.

Thanks to the Citizen-Times for reporting on this tragic story.

Charlotte Fire Department’s HazMat team responded to a collision between a FedEx truck and another truck on Interstate 85 on June 27, 2008. After the FedEx truck was struck in the rear, a strange blue liquid was seen leaking from the rear door. The North Carolina Department of Transportation closed several lanes of northbound I-85 as the HazMat team worked to clean up the chemical.

Thanks to Charlotte.com for reporting.

Continue reading "Two-truck Collision in Charlotte, North Carolina Causes Chemical Spill" »

A heavy load may have contributed to a Berkeley County, SC accident involving a landscaping company worker on June 25, 2008. Tim Marshall was driving a one ton pickup truck, pulling forklift on a trailer, when wasn’t able to stop at a stop sign at Canady Branch Road and U.S. Highway 52 near Lake Marion. Reports indicate Mr. Marshall skidded past the stop sign and into U.S. 52. A tractor-trailer travelling west wasn’t able to stop before striking the driver’s side of the pickup truck. Although Mr. Marshall was conscious and able to speak to his wife at the scene, he died of his injuries from the collision. The driver of the 18 wheeler, Mark Eudy of North Carolina, was not charged in the collision.

Thanks to the Charleston, SC Post & Courier for reporting.

Continue reading "Lake Marion, SC Area Collision Claims Life of Driver" »

The South Carolina Highway Patrol continues to investigate a collision between a tractor trailer and a John Deere combine on Highway 178 in Lexington County on June 9. The combine was traveling east when its driver pulled over to let cars pass. The driver of a Freightliner rig attempted to pass, but struck the combine. The truck then left the roadway and slammed into trees. The truck caught fire and the driver did not escape. Authorities have not released the identity of the driver, but have stated he was a 44 year-old from Florence, SC. The Highway Patrol indicated the tractor trailer driver was driving too fast for conditions.

Drivers on rural highways should remember that in South Carolina and most other states, farming machinery may legally be driven on the roadways. Through summer and the fall harvest, you may expect to see more of these vehicles on the road. Extra care is required when you encounter these and other slow-moving vehicles because their size makes estimating their speed and your closing distance difficult. Farm implements may have projecting parts that are difficult to see, so give these farmers some extra room when passing.

Continue reading "Fatal Combine - Tractor Trailer Collision " »

A North Charleston mother and one of her twin 15 year-old daughters died recently following a collision with a cement truck on Interstate 26 near Summerville, South Carolina . The 15 year old, Marcushire Akabidavis, was driving, while her mother, Christina Akabidavis was in the front passenger seat of their Honda. Marcushire’s twin sister, Maurishire, was a rear seat passenger. Early reports indicate that the care abruptly changed lanes in front of a Redi-Mix truck, which then struck the car. The cement truck overturned on the car and concrete poured into the car. The partially hardened cement slowed the extraction of the victims, but does not appear to have caused their deaths. Maurishire Akabidavis is reportedly in critical condition at MUSC, while the truck driver was in good condition at Trident Hospital Monday night. Early indications are that the truck driver did not contribute to the collision. Thanks to the Charleston Post & Courier and WIS for reporting.

Continue reading "Charleston I-26 Collision Takes the Lives of Mother & Daughter" »

Two tanker trucks overturned on South Carolina Interstate 26 exit ramps in the past week, highlighting the dangers the public faces from inattentive truck drivers.

The first incident occurred at the I-26/U.S. 301 interchange in Orangeburg County. The South Carolina Highway Patrol indicated the driver of a tanker truck carrying sodium bisulfate decided too late to exit I-26 and ran off the ramp because he was traveling too fast to handle the curve. The tank developed three leaks, releasing the sodium bisulfate, a skin and respiratory irritant. Nearby businesses were evacuated until a hazmat team contained and removed the spill.

The second incident happened in Dorchester County near the I-26 interchange with I-95. A tanker truck carrying 22 tons of acrylamide from Florida to Michigan overturned when the driver took the exit for U.S. 15 travelling too fast. Acrylamide is a potential carcinogen that is also flammable. The South Carolina Highway Patrol and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control closed I-26 and U.S. 15 in both directions for 6 hours until hazmat teams could evaluate and contain the spill.

Thanks to WIS and the Charleston Post and Courier for reporting.

Continue reading "Recent Truck Spills on I-26 in South Carolina Remind Us of Dangers" »

In a tragic turn of events, Lance Corporal James Haynes, an eleven year veteran of the South Carolina Highway Patrol, died early Friday morning in an accident as he responded to a tractor trailer collision. Corporal Haynes’s patrol car left the rain-slicked roadway near Orangeburg, South Carolina and struck a utility pole.

By all accounts, Trooper Haynes, the father of two, was a deeply committed family man. He was a little league coach and in one prior interview cited his mother as the most influential person in his life. On the job he was a frequently commended patrol officer who was named Trooper of the Month in September 2007 by the Orangeburg Times and Democrat newspaper.

Traffic-related incidents have been the leading cause of death of on-duty law enforcement officers for each of the last ten years.

Thanks to WIS, the Times and Democrat, and policemag for reporting.

Continue reading "South Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Fatally Injured in Accident" »

Debra Minder was fatally injured early December 15 in Aiken County, South Carolina as she tried to push her stalled car out of traffic near mile marker 31 on Interstate 20. Ms. Minder, of Eastover, South Carolina, was on the driver’s side of her car, while her fiancé pushed from the rear of the car. They pushed the car, whose hazard lights were reportedly flashing, about four feet out of the roadway before the tanker truck hit her. Kenny Gibbons of Augusta, Georgia, was driving the empty tanker truck owned by Harbin Transport Company, of Sumter, SC. Her fiancé was uninjured, as was her son, who was asleep in the car at the time of the collision. The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.

Thanks to AugustaChronicle, the Edgefield Daily and WIS for reporting.

Continue reading "Tanker Truck Hits Driver Pushing Disabled Car Off I-20" »

The South Carolina Highway Patrol has charged Elijah Love of North Augusta, South Carolina, with driving too fast for conditions relating to the incident that closed westbound Interstate 26 in Columbia on Tuesday, December 11. Mr. Love’s tanker truck overturned on the curving overpass interchange between I-26 and I-126. Mr. Love’s truck, which contained acid, lodged against the safety railing, prompting concerns for traffic passing beneath. The Highway Patrol closed all westbound traffic on the two interstates at the wreck location for about 7 hours. Thankfully, authorities report that no acid spilled out of the truck.

Thanks to WIS and The State for reporting.

Continue reading "South Carolina Trucker Who Forced Closure of I-26 Charged" »

A Sunday evening collision between an SUV and a Toyota Avalon resulted in 9 people being taken to local hospitals. One of the passengers, three year old Jakob Miller of Lexington, South Carolina, died of his injuries at Lexington Medical Center. Our sincere condolences go out to his family. Although the investigation is ongoing, early reports indicate the driver of the Toyota failed to stop at the intersection of Smith’s Pond Road and Two Notch Road, striking the SUV traveling east on Two Notch Road. The toddler was partially ejected from the Toyota.

Thanks to WLTX and WIS for reporting.

Continue reading "Two Car Collision Takes the Life of Gilbert, South Carolina Child" »

Standra Jones, a long-time South Carolina DOT worker and married father of two, was fatally injured when a pickup truck ran off Interstate 26 early Thursday morning, striking him as he supervised a barrier cleaning project. Mr. Jones was rushed to Lexington Medical Center, but doctors were unable to save him. The pickup truck, driven by Robert Cunningham of Gaston, South Carolina, left the westbound I-26 roadway around 5:40 a.m. and ran into an SC DOT truck before hitting Mr. Jones. The pickup truck driver and another SC DOT worker, whose name has not been released, were also injured. The South Carolina Highway Patrol is still investigating the collision.

Thanks to WIS television and The State newspaper for reporting.

Continue reading "South Carolina DOT Maintenance Foreman Perishes" »

Early on Saturday morning, December 1st, a Freightliner truck on I-26 near Orangeburg, South Carolina rear-ended the Suzuki automobile in which Danielle Davis was riding. Ms. Davis, a 21 year old resident of Charlotte, died from her injuries. The driver, Jennifer Davis, and another passenger in the car, Rose Jackson, were injured and transported to a local hospital. The trucker, Willie Davis, was also injured. According to reports, the trucking company is Robin Hood Trucking, of Benson, North Carolina. The Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) is investigating the cause of the wreck.

Thanks to WIS Television and The Orangeburg Times and Democrat for reporting on this tragic story.

Continue reading "Orangeburg, South Carolina Tractor-Trailer Wreck Claims the Life of Young Charlotte Woman" »

A McHenry County, Illinois judge has found Vincente Zepeda guilty of eight counts of negligent homicide and one felony count of failure to inspect his vehicle. The charges stemmed from an October, 2007, incident in which the defendant slammed his 35-ton tractor trailer into the rear of a tour bus near a toll plaza on Interstate 90. The collision caused a chain-reaction crash involving five vehicles in which fifteen others were injured. All eight fatalities were passengers on the tour bus and part of the same women’s cultural group returning home from an outing. The defendant waived his right to a jury, preferring to have a judge hear the evidence in the case. Investigators testified that he failed to notice that his truck’s rear axle brakes were not working and he was travelling 60 m.p.h. in a 45 m.p.h. construction zone at the time of the incident. The judge rejected Zepeda’s testimony that he was travelling slower than investigators reported and that he did everything he could to avoid the collision. Zepeda will lose his driver’s license and face up to five years in prison. Zepeda’s attorney reportedly plans to appeal the decision.

Thanks to ChicagoTribune.com and the Northwest Herald for their reporting.

The trucker at the center of a multiple fatality crash on I-526 on July 14, 2007 faces charges of DUI near his hometown in North Carolina. Bobby Davis was arrested following a November 2 incident in which he went careening over a mailbox and through a yard before crossing the road and crashing into a tree. Investigators have not released the results of tests for Mr. Davis’s blood alcohol concentration. In the July incident, Mr. Davis told investigators a car cut him off, causing him to rear-end a car. His truck went over that car and a van and a fire broke out. Three occupants of the van died. The driver of another car trapped between the truck wreckage and a concrete wall also perished in that collision. For the earlier wreck, Mr. Davis was charged with driving too fast for conditions.

Thanks to the Charleston Post and Courier.

Continue reading "Driver of Deadly July North Charleston Collision Faces Charges in Another Crash" »

Motorcycle enthusiasts Debra and David Carlson were both injured when a vehicle reportedly pulled out in front of their motorcycle on S.C. 90 in Horry County on November 11. Despite wearing a helmet, Mrs. Carlson suffered grievous injuries in the collision. Mrs. Carlson died Friday, November 21, after being removed from life support. The Carlsons had just returned from a funeral in New York and were travelling that day to visit friends whose son had recently died in an automobile collision. Mr. Carlson was also seriously injured in the collision and has undergone surgical repair of a broken pelvis. The Carlsons moved to South Carolina permanently in 2005 from the Buffalo, New York area. Mrs. Carlson was a retired dental assistant. Mr. Carlson is retired from a 26 year law enforcement career, most prominently punctuated by a high-profile incident while he was an Erie County sheriff’s deputy. Mr. Carlson was shot and a fellow deputy killed in the line of duty when serving a drug warrant in 1989.

Thanks to MyrtleBeachOnline.com and Buffalonews.com.

Continue reading "Longs, South Carolina Woman Succumbs to Injuries from Veterans Day Motorcycle Accident" »

A tractor trailer travelling from Charleston, South Carolina to Missouri struck a van carrying six prisoners from a work release program November 15. The van’s driver and all the passengers were transported to local hospitals. Except for one, all the prisoners were treated and released. The driver of the truck was treated for a broken finger as well as cuts and bruises. The prisoners were from Campbell Pre-Release Center in Columbia, South Carolina en route to a work release brush clearing project. The cause of the collision is still under investigation. Early reports indicated that the van was parked alongside the road, but later reports stated that both vehicles were travelling westbound at the time of the collision.

Thanks to TheState.com, GreenvilleOnline.com, WYFF4.com, and WIStv.com.

Continue reading "Tractor-Trailer Hits Prison Van on I-26, 8 Injured" »

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is closer to answering why a tour bus left I-26 in Dorchester County, South Carolina early Monday morning, crashing into the woods along the interstate. Late Monday, the Dorchester County Coroner’s Office released preliminary results indicating the driver, 58 year old George William Thomas of Hanahan, suffered a brain aneurysm and died of blunt trauma. This would appear to indicate that the aneurysm caused the driver to lose control, allowing the bus to veer off the road, striking trees. The bus left from St. Stephens en route to Miami, with about 50 passengers on board. 30 passengers were transported to Charleston area hospitals. Reports indicate that all are in stable condition. Passenger reports draw a vivid picture of the chaos at the scene as parents tried to find their children in the smoking wreckage of the bus. The bus company’s co-owner, Charlie Hill, stated that prior to this incident, his company, 5 Star Transportation, had a perfect safety record.

Thanks to TheState.com, WIStv.com, and the Charleston Post and Courier (Charleston.net).

Continue reading "Bus Runs Off I-26 Near Charleston: 1 Dead, 30 Injured" »

Most of the accounts on my blog involve the damage done by tractor-trailers, but truckers face dangers, too. Someone shot three tractor-trailers that were traveling on the same rural stretch of I-26 in Calhoun County, South Carolina on November 13.

The shootings occurred in the span of just a few minutes just after 7 p.m. Police believe all of the shots came from the vicinity of the same overpass near St. Matthews and reportedly have recovered cartridge casings. Two trucks were shot in the windshield, one other in the door. Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported.

The police face an uphill battle solving this crime. In the last two decades, there have been at least ten reported incidents such as this nationwide and most of these cases required a lucky break or a tip from family or friends before the police could zero in on a suspect. The notorious Ohio interstate sniper case in 2003, involving 12 shootings, was solved when a mentally disturbed man’s family turned in his pistol, which police then matched to bullet fragments. The Indiana I65/I-69 sniper was caught after an acquaintance told a police officer that a teenager he knew owned the same kind of gun. In Nevada in 1995, the man who shot six cars was arrested the dame day after being stopped for a broken taillight 300 miles away. And the sniper who shot into a Massachusetts school bus, killing a 14 year old girl was apprehended based on a tip from a criminal suspect in an unrelated case.

Truck driving is consistently on the list of ten most dangerous jobs in America, ahead of much more publicized jobs like policeman or firefighter. Worrying about snipers should not be added to the responsibilities of the person behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound vehicle. Let’s hope the police in Calhoun County catch a break soon.

Continue reading "South Carolina Shooter Targeting Truckers on I-26" »

A Simpsonville teenager faces possible charges in a two vehicle head-on collision on U.S. 29 in Anderson County. The eighteen year old driver, Thomas George of Simpsonville, reportedly was speeding and crossed the centerline in his Durango SUV, striking the GMC pickup driven by Bobby Joe Kirkum of Hartwell, Georgia. Mr. Kirkum was partially ejected from his truck, which was thrown from the roadway. Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore states Mr. Kirkum died of chest and neck trauma.

Continue reading "Fatal Wreck in Anderson County, South Carolina" »

Wendell Gregory, a thirty year old man from Beaufort, was charged with two felony DUI counts last week following a single car accident on St. Helena on August 25, 2007. Mr. Gregory was the driver of a Lincoln sedan that left the roadway and struck a tree. The car’s owner, Susan Fawcett of Lady’s Island, was a rear passenger in the wreck and died of her injuries at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Another passenger, Michael Cohen, was also injured in the collision. The Highway Patrol has not released details of the incident.

The Beaufort Gazette reports that Mr. Gregory has been arrested 26 times just in Beaufort County and a SLED check revealed numerous convictions for driving and drug offenses. A recent inquiry indicates that Mr. Gregory is already out of jail on bond.

Continue reading "Beaufort, South Carolina Man Charged in Fatal Wreck" »

Kevin Marcus was nearing home on Sunday. His mother and next-door neighbor, Ruth, were his passengers in his Toyota Corolla. When they were almost home, they were struck from behind by a tractor trailer. The force of the collision slammed their car into the Volkswagen ahead of them, driven by Mr. Marcus’s roommate, Michael Diebold.

All three were taken to AnMed Medical Center, but Mr. Marcus died of his injuries shortly after arriving.

The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured.

Continue reading "Truck Accident on I-85 Kills Anderson Man " »

The Town of Lexington, South Carolina appears to be backing down on its attempts to re-route big rigs away from downtown.

Local merchants have noted a marked increase in noise and damage caused by large trucks passing through downtown in the last few years. A 2003 beautification plan narrowed the roadway on Main Street to make it a more attractive destination. Traffic has increased, but much of it is through traffic, which doesn’t benefit local merchants. The narrowed roads haven’t done a thing to discourage big trucks from cutting through downtown. Sadly, Town leaders appear unable to regulate this traffic problem.

The trouble with trying to re-route heavy trucks is that Main Street in Lexington is a segment of U.S. Highway 1, which stretches from Canada to Key West, so the South Carolina Department of Transportation has the final authority over traffic on this road. Early indications are that SCDOT has discouraged the Town’s request to move truck traffic away from Main Street, citing heavy traffic on the alternate routes.

Continue reading "Lexington, South Carolina's Truck Traffic Problem Not Over" »

On Monday afternoon, 35-year-old Kristy Lynn Hutto, of Orangeburg, died at the scene of a collision between her car and a truck on Highway 21, near I-26 in Lexington County, South Carolina. The intersection is not far from the Town of Swansea. Ms. Hutto was driving north on Highway 21, when William Bennett, II's eastbound truck failed to stop at a stop sign and collided into her car. Bennett, who has been charged with failing to yield the right-of-way, was attempting to cross onto the entrance ramp of I-26. Bennett and his passenger received comparatively minor injuries in the wreck, but were transported from the scene to Palmetto Richland Hospital in Columbia. Ms. Hutto was an off-duty employee of American Heritage Ambulance.

We appreciate the reporting of WLTX and WIS regarding this tragedy.

Continue reading "Labor Day Truck Accident Claims the Life of 35-Year-Old Woman" »

At around 11:35 on Wednesday night, 20-year-old Brandon Mullins, of Lexington, South Carolina, was involved in a head-on collision, when a Dodge Stratus ran into Mullins' Toyota Corolla. The wreck took place on Bush River Road in Lexington County. Mullins, who was wearing his seatbelt, died nearly an hour later at the Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia. There was a passenger in Mullins' car who survived with minor injuries, as did the driver of the Dodge Stratus.

Thanks to The State newspaper in Columbia for reporting this sad incident.

Continue reading "Young Lexington, South Carolina Man Dies in Head-On Collision" »

Travis Fortson of Greenville, South Carolina stopped to help at a collision scene July 10, 2007, on I-85 in Cherokee County near Gaffney, South Carolina. He doesn’t remember much else after getting out of his car.

A drug-intoxicated and speeding tractor trailer driver soon came along, lost control and jackknifed, slamming into Mr. Fortson and two other bystanders. Fortson suffered terrible injuries. The damage to his right leg was so severe the doctors had to amputate. The truck crash also fractured his pelvis, shoulder blade, and eye orbit and he had most of the muscles in his right arm torn away. The other two men hit by the truck, Darrel Foster of Spartanburg, South Carolina and Duane Henley of Charlotte, North Carolina, managed to escape serious injury.

Mr. Fortson was recently released from the hospital to begin his long recovery. A married father of two young daughters, Fortson is a pharmaceutical sales representative and Citadel alumnus. By all accounts, he is an extremely positive and determined man, and his family and community have rallied around him. Considering what could have happened, he is fortunate to be home right now.

Prosecutors from the Seventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office offered some insight into the cause of the collision. The truck driver, Sherry Lynne Davis, a Greenwood, South Carolina resident, has been charged with felony DUI with great bodily injury and speeding.

At her bond hearing August 28, the deputy solicitor told the magistrate that she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the collision. The magistrate set her bond at $50,000. If she is able to post bond, she will be monitored by a GPS ankle bracelet and she cannot drive.

Thanks to Greenvillenews.com, goupstate.com, and WYFF4.com.

Continue reading "I-85 Trucker Hits Good Samaritan Helping a Motorist" »

The injured man was bicycling to work on his bicycle last February. A tractor-trailer, running late on a delivery from the Midwest, left the roadway and struck the man, sending him flying and tumbling over 100 feet from the point of impact.

The bicyclist suffered life-changing injuries: rib fractures, a tear to his liver, open (bone protruding) fractures of his lower leg, and traumatic brain injury. As a result of this terrible collision, Mr. Hill is now totally disabled and cannot work.

The driver of the truck admitted he never saw the bicyclist, claiming he never left the road. However, it seems the truck driver couldn't keep his story straight. He later said he thought he might have hit a mailbox. Although there was not direct evidence that the truck driver had fallen asleep, there was abundant evidence that he was at the very least "driving tired" - a very dangerous practice. The trucker had been driving 14.5 hours out of the last 18 hours, a clear violation of the federal safety regulations. (This is the kind of critical evidence that an attorney experienced in truck accident litigation is likely to uncover). The trucking company’s response to this collision: they offered the man’s family $2,000 - a tiny fraction of the man's medical bills, future medical care, and numerous other kinds of damages.

The injured man's family wisely retained a qualified attorney. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury decided the trucking company and driver caused $2 million in actual damages to Mr. Hill. The jury also awarded an additional $1 million in punitive damages. Hopefully, this trucking company is now convinced that its drivers need to abide by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Continue reading "North Augusta, South Carolina Bicyclist Totally Disabled After Being Hit by Tractor Trailer - $3 Million Damages Verdict" »

At about 6:45 PM Saturday evening, along I-26, near Newberry, South Carolina, an 11-year-old boy was killed, possibly after being stricken by a tractor trailer, which had come into the median. The little boy was traveling in a car with his mother and at least one sibling. (Some details have not yet been clarified). Their vehicle somehow collided with the guardrail, and came to rest in the left lane of the interstate. The mother gathered up her children, and tried to get into the median, when a pickup truck came along. The pickup truck may have knocked the 11-year-old into the median. An 18-wheeler soon came upon the scene. The tractor trailer reportedly drove into the median, where it may have stricken the boy, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Both the Newberry County Sheriff's Department and the South Carolina Highway Patrol reported to the scene. The Highway Patrol's Major Accident Investigation Team (M.A.I.T) will conclude its investigation and release its findings soon.

Continue reading "Truck Wreck Claims the LIfe of 11 Year Old Boy on I-26" »

A car accident along U.S. 178 in Pickens County, South Carolina claimed the life of Enemias Morales de Leon at about 3:20 PM on Tuesday, June10. According to reports, Mr. de Leon, of Liberty, while passing a vehicle, collided head-on with another vehicle in the opposite lane of traffic. Mr. de Leon was not wearing a seat belt, and was pronounced dead at the scene, after suffering major trauma to his abdomen, head and chest.

The driver of the other vehicle was being treated at a hospital in Greenville. Let's hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.

Continue reading "Pickens County, South Carolina Car Accident Fatality Tuesday" »

Over the weekend, an 18-wheeler on I-85 in Hart County, Georgia, ran off the interstate, and then careened about 300 yards into the median. If it weren't for the cable barrier in the median, this could have been a major tragedy. The incident, which occurred around 7 AM, caused major damage to the cable barrier system. The truck driver, James Kluge, of Greer, South Carolina, is 69 years old. He faces charges from the Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division.

The cables have been in place for only a few months. Thank goodness someone had the foresight to get these cable barriers installed.

Not so lucky were the four children who were killed later the same day along I-85, when a southbound vehicle crossed the median, and then hit a northbound vehicle head-on. Although they were on the same interstate, just 40 miles away, there was no cable barrier to prevent the losses of the four children - two in each car.

Thanks to the Anderson Independent Mail for reporting this important story.

Continue reading "A Tale of Two Medians: Cable Barriers are a Critical Safety Feature on our Interstates" »

The Augusta Chronicle reports that Matt Dryden, Sheree Dryden, and their one-year-old son were hit by an oncoming garbage truck just after 10AM yesterday near Augusta, Georgia. The garbage truck, owned and operated by ACES, LLC may have driven into the Drydens' lane as it traveled through a sharp turn, hitting their Nissan Xterra. Mrs. Dryden and her son suffered comparatively minor injuries, but Mr. Dryden was listed in serious condition on Monday. All three were taken to the Medical College of Georgia Hospital. The 22-year-old driver of the truck, Michael Ewanis, suffered only minor injuries.

Truck accidents are often preventable - but only if truck drivers and the trucking companies follow known safety precautions. One aspect of safe operation that is often overlooked is the physical health of the truck drivers themselves.

Kelly Fredrix, of the Associated Press, reported recently on how the health of truck drivers has an impact not only on their own safety, but on the safety of all of us out on the roadways. The story was picked up by The State newspaper here in South Carolina, and you can read the article in its entirety here.

Here is a quick roundup of some of the facts Fredrix is reporting:

* There are about 1,300,000 long-haul truck drivers in the United States.
* Compared to all other job categories in this country, truck drivers report more injuries than anyone else.
* Truck drivers dying on the job account for almost fifteen percent of work-related deaths in the United States. That means that trucking easily has more fatalities than any other occupation in the United States.
* Commercial drivers licenses (CDLs) generally cannot be issued if the driver has severe health issues like high blood pressure or advanced heart conditions.
* Obesity among truck drivers is a very common problem.
* Nearly one in four truck drivers have sleep apnea. (A big potential source of driver fatigue truck accidents).
* About half of all truck drivers smoke.
* The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is looking at tighter rules regarding truck driver physical health. A review board is meeting later this month, but any changes wouldn't take place for at least a year.
* Some trucking companies are working to improve truck driver health, due to high health care and workers compensation costs.

Continue reading "How Truck Driver Health Affects You" »

The Salisbury Post is reporting that Laurance Derwood Guessford, 41, of Salisbury, sustained a shattered leg, torn bowel, and crushed pancreas this morning when a Jeep turned into the path of Guessford's delivery truck. The wreck took place at just after 8AM this morning, at the intersection of Grace Church Road and U.S. Highway 29 in Salisbury.

Mr. Guessford was transported by helicopter to the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in nearby Winston-Salem. He is in critical condition / intensive care. The driver of the Jeep, Rebecca Moore Corriher, was charged for unsafe movement, and was treated at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

On Friday, June 29, two Florida residents were killed, and another was injured in a crash involving the rollover of a sport utility vehicle on a stretch of I-95 near St. George, South Carolina. The driver, Herbert White, of Fort Lauderdale was driving a 2007 Ford when the accident happened. He and Lanie Pringle, of Oakland Park, were killed in the crash. Bessie Lee Pringle, of Fort Lauderdale was seriously injured, and was taken to the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital for treatment.

According to reports, White's SUV ran off the road. White then tried to correct course, but the SUV careened across the highway, off the other side of the road. They came back onto the highway and overturned, eventually landing upside-down.

Thanks to the Charleston Post and Courier for reporting this story.

Continue reading "South Carolina SUV Rollover Crash Claims Two Lives, Injures Another " »

On May 21, 84-year-old Marilyn Thompson, of Clemson, failed to yield to an oncoming motorcycle in Anderson County, South Carolina. When she did so, the motorcycle, driven by 24-year-old Travis Lee Smith collided with Ms. Thompson's vehicle. Mr. Smith died at the scene after sustaining multiple traumas.

Thanks to the Anderson Independent Mail for its reporting of this tragic incident.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Wreck Claims Central, South Carolina Man" »

It is not unusual for truck accidents to seriously injure workers who are on construction sites. Sadly, one such accident resulted in a fatality this week. At about noon on Tuesday, 36-year old Mark Zurcher, of Kinston, TN was killed at a construction site adjacent to the U.S. Highway 70 bypass near Clayton, North Carolina when his truck overturned. Witnesses claim that Mr. Zurcher's truck backed up, and in doing so, turned over and then overturned down an embankment. It appears that the truck's cab was crushed. (There are more and more products liability claims these days dealing with defectively-designed truck cabs which crush when they shouldn't).

Firefighters who responded at the scene were eventually able to remove Mr. Zurcher from the cab of the truck, but Mr. Zurcher was sadly pronounced dead at a local hospital.

An investigation is being conducted to determine if Mr. Zurcher's employer, Pozzolanic Contracting & Supply Company of Knoxville, may have violated safety rules and standards, thereby contributing to this tragedy. According to press reports, two years ago, the same company was fined after another of the company's workers died. An investigation determined after that fatality that the company had failed to have the required back-up alarms on some of its heavy equipment.

Thanks to both the Raleigh News Observer and the Clayton-Cleveland Herald for their reporting of this important story.

Continue reading "Fatal North Carolina Truck Accident on June 26" »

Truck accidents happen all the time, but thankfully, injuries do not always result when truck drivers cause a mishap. On Thursday, June 29, James Jett, of Elgin, South Carolina was driving too fast for conditions and lost control of his 18 wheeler. Jett was leaving U.S. Highway 1 to get onto I-20 West when his rig overturned due to his excessive speed, according to the Highway Patrol.

Jett's truck spilled scrap metal across the roadway, causing the road to be partially blocked for a time Thursday morning.

Continue reading "Truck Accident on I-20 in Lexington County, South Carolina" »

Last Wednesday, in Michigan, a semi-truck driver failed to notice that he struck a man in a wheelchair when the truck left a gas station. The driver also failed to notice that the wheelchair was lodged in the grill of his truck. Amazingly, the man in the wheelchair was not injured, despite being pushed at speeds of up to 50 m.p.h. for approximately four miles. It took the phone calls of a number of surprised motorists and the arrival of law enforcement officers to alert the driver to the presence of the wheelchair and its occupant.

Thanks to the South Bend Tribune for this story.

Continue reading "Something You Don't See Everyday" »

The Town of Lexington, South Carolina, like a lot of communities, has struggled with traffic issues for many years. Recent explosive growth in and around Lexington has not helped matters. This is especially true when tractor trailers are brought into the mix. According to Tim Flach, of The State newspaper, of Columbia, South Carolina, leaders from the Town of Lexington are pushing for a ban on big trucks on Main Street and adjoining streets, due to complaints about noise, congestion, and damage to crosswalks. Traffic along Main Street has increased by 10 percent to 17,000 vehicles daily after an extensive face-lift narrowed the road in 2003. The Town is spending $85,000 to repair the broken crosswalks.

State transportation officials have the final say on a truck ban because Main Street is a segment of U.S. Highway 1. They are expected to make a decision by late summer, but the Department of Transportation officials appear to be reluctant to do anything about the big trucks.

Continue reading "Lexington, South Carolina 18 Wheeler Traffic a Problem" »

Drivers of logging trucks are required to mark logs that hang off the back of their trucks with plainly-visible flags. On Memorial Day afternoon, a Pleasantville, New Jersey, man and two of his children died when their van collided with the back of a logging truck at a dangerous intersection in Marion County, South Carolina. The family had been visiting a relative in the area over the holiday weekend. The wreck happened on Highway 576, which is the main highway out of Myrtle Beach in the area. This is according to press reports from The State Newspaper and WPDE-TV. The only survivor was another of the man's daughters. Some press reports indicated that the surviving daughter was eleven years old, while others said she is thirteen years old.

Fifty-one year old Anthony Bennett died at the scene. His six-year-old son and eleven-year-old (or twelve-year-old, according to some reports) daughter died at the hospital a short time later. The surviving little girl was transported by helicopter to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

The fatal collision snarled traffic for several miles along U.S. Highway 576 and U.S. Highway 501, as emergency personnel rushed to the scene, while thousands of beachgoers traveled through.

The Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the accident.

Continue reading "Logging Truck Collision in Marion County, South Carolina Causes Three Deaths on Memorial Day" »

According to the Salisbury (NC) Post, an April 19 collision on Interstate 85 near the Yadkin River bridge involving two tractor-trailers blocked traffic on the interstate for nearly 12 hours.

The 18-wheelers were heading south when one of them hit the other from the rear at about 5 a.m. Both overturned, and hit a guardrail and concrete barrier, but the drivers walked away unhurt. They spilled paint, diesel fuel and motor oil across the interstate. An environmental cleanup crew was called to the scene to handle the spill. The Davidson County Rescue Squad, Emergency Medical Service, Linwood Fire Department, and East Spencer Police Department responded, as did the Department of Transportation crew for repairs to the guardrail and concrete barrier. The semi trucks belong to R&L Transportation and Wiley Sanders Truck Lines.

Continue reading "I-85 Tractor Trailer Collision Blocks Traffic in Salisbury, North Carolina" »

I let you know about this intersection collision and the resulting fatalities back on March 27. According to WIS-TV and other media reports, the logging truck driver, George Rogers, has been charged with two counts of reckless homicide for the crash in Chester County that killed two children, Hannah Quinton (9) and Nicholas Cherry (7). The logging truck slammed into the van in which the two children were riding at an intersection along Highway 9, not far from Lewisville Elementary School near Richburg. The children had just been picked up from school. Almost the entire driver's side of the van was ripped off in the collision, and logs were scattered across the four-lane highway. This is truly a tragic loss for the loved ones of these two children. What's worse, if the Highway Patrol is right, it looks like this tragedy could have been prevented.

Continue reading "Logging Truck Driver Charged in Fatalities of Two Children After Richburg, South Carolina Collision" »

Marilyn Horton, of Swansea, South Carolina, wrote a letter to the editor, which was published in today's State newspaper: "I travel on Interstate 26 for approximately twenty-five miles 5 days per week to and from work. There is at least one wreck each week involving a tractor trailer on the section I travel.

If the section of I-26 from I-77 to I-95 were widened to 6 lanes, and we added more Highway Patrol troopers, the number of accidents and deaths would be greatly reduced."

It is an important issue, and I am glad Marilyn Horton is doing her part as a citizen to shed light on things.

Continue reading "Swansea, South Carolina Citizen Concerned About I-26 Truck Accidents" »

A South Carolina tractor trailer accident caused two deaths yesterday. Local Chester County authorities reported that two children died Monday, March 26 when a logging truck collided with the minivan they were riding in. Chester County, South Carolina, Coroner Terry Tinker says 9 year-old Hannah Quinton of Fort Lawn and 7 year-old Nicholas Cherry of Richburg died when their minivan collided with a logging truck Monday afternoon near Richburg, South Carolina, on Highway 9.

39-year-old Alice Quinton, the girl's mother, was driving when the logging truck hit them. She is in fair condition at a Charlotte, North Carolina, hospital. Two others were injured in the minivan, 7 year-old Timothy Quinton, in critical condition, and Taylor Cherry, in serious condition.

The truck driver, 51-year-old George Rogers, was evaluated at the Chester Regional Medical Center, but he appears to be in comparatively good condition. Rogers was released from the hospital Tuesday morning.

According to South Carolina Highway Patrol Troopers, the minivan was struck by the logging truck as it crossed state Highway 9 near Richburg. During the crash, almost the entire driver's side of the van was torn off. Logs were scattered all across the four-lane highway.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol's specialized MAIT (Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team) unit is investigating who had the right of way at the intersection on state Highway 9. The MAIT Unit investigates complicated and catastrophic vehicle crashes, by using state-of-the-art technology and analysis to reconstruct the collision scene.

Continue reading "Logging Truck Accident Claims Two Children Near Richburg, South Carolina" »

A tanker truck wreck today, along I-95, near Fayetteville, North Carolina, spilled approximately 6,700 gallons of diesel fuel along the interstate. The wreck happened on I-95 southbound, between mile marker 41 and mile marker 33, between Fayetteville and Lumberton. Both sides of U.S. 95 filled with emergency crews as a result of the wreck. Press reports indicate that the air was filled with the stench of gasoline.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the driver, Clifford Sandoval of Wilson, North Carolina, had a diabetic attack. Sandoval lost control, and then spun off I-95 and into a swamp.

Diesel fuel and gasoline flowed out on the interstate, and into a creek that feeds into the Lumbee River. All lanes of traffic, in both directions along I-95 were blocked. Cars backed up for upwards of 5 miles in both directions.

Continue reading "I-95 Tanker Truck Wreck Near Fayetteville Spills 6,700 Gallons of Diesel Fuel" »

Trucker fatigue causes lots of tractor trailer accidents in South Carolina and across the country. The NBC affiliate in Charleston has done a great story highlighting the problem, using the stories of Foster Johnson, who was tragically killed by a truck in 2005, and of a cement truck driver who fell asleep and slammed into a Georgetown, South Carolina church early one Saturday morning recently. WCBD's Andy Pierrotti found one thousand seven hundred citations against South Carolina truck drivers for exceeding the allowed driving time limits in just the past three years!

Kudos to Mr. Pierrotti and the WCBD newsroom for their thorough investigation and for bringing this important issue into public view.

Here are some links to the story. I hope you will take a few moments to read the story and watch the videos to learn some more about the problem of driver fatigue in causing South Carolina 18 wheeler accidents.

Part 1

Part 2

Continue reading "South Carolina Truck Accidents Caused by Driver Fatigue" »

I ran across some good news. The federal agency charged with preventing bus and truck accidents, injuries, and fatalities received a major new request to make some changes to help the folks out on the highways. This week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to enact several stricter safety regulations for buses and trucks (like tractor trailers). The NTSB was responding to a bus fire that killed twenty-three elderly Hurricane Rita evacuees a year and a half ago. If promulgated, the new rules would require new detection systems for maintenance problems and stronger oversight over inspections at bus carriers.

The bus accident involving the elderly Rita evacuees happened in September, 2005. That wreck has since been attributed to the bus company, which put a mechanically unsafe bus on the road. It seems that poorly lubricated wheel bearings overheated in the right rear well, igniting a tire, thereby causing the fire. The list of violations by the bus company was long, to say the least. The bus driver didn't even have a license! Last month, a federal court in Texas sentenced the owner of the bus company, Global Limo, to 5 years' criminal probation for poorly managing his fleet and not requiring all drivers to fill out vehicle inspection reports.

Unfortunately, the FMCSA has a history of ignoring NTSB recommendations. Let's hope this time is different.

Continue reading "Bus Accident and Truck Accident Prevention - A New Approach?" »

I was sorry to see press reports of a bus accident on the Clemson University campus.
Freshman Kellie Jureka, 18, of Lexington, South Carolina, was injured at lunchtime last Tuesday when a bus hit her.

Miss Jureka was treated by Clemson University EMS personnel and transported to Bowman Field, where she was taken by helicopter to the Greenville Memorial Hospital at approximately 12:45pm.

As of late Monday afternoon, Miss Jureka was reportedly in serious but stable condition. Let's hope this young lady makes a rapid and full recovery.

Continue reading "Bus Accident Injures Clemson Student from Lexington, South Carolina" »

I have noticed a lot of press coverage of truck accidents and the laws governing 18 wheelers lately. Last month, the Chicago Tribune published a major article detailing the huge problem of unskilled truck drivers causing accidents in this country. It seems that a driver named Hussein Osman was one of several hundred truck drivers (most of them were Somali and Bosnian immigrants) who may have been given fraudulent commercial drivers licenses by a Missouri truck driving school. Unfortunately, they didn't get in touch with Hussein in time. He was killed in October when he was involved in a wreck with an Oklahoma State Trooper, who also died in the accident.

In fact, there are thousands and thousands of truck drivers in this country who received their CDLs under suspicious circumstances. In just the last 5 years, the federal government has confirmed license fraud in 24 (!) states. Most state governments are doing essentially nothing about the problem.

And people wonder why lawsuits are necessary? Who is going to protect the public, if injury lawyers, judges and juries don't do it?

Nobody. That's who.

Common causes of truck accidents:

· Oversized trucks
· Insufficient training
· Overloaded trucks
· Break malfunction
· Inexperienced drivers
· Not enough sleep
· Speeding
· Poor driving conditions
· Failure to yield the right of way
· Failure to stop at a light
· Aggressive or dangerous driving
· DUI/DWI
· Mechanical failure

Some damages that may be recovered in a personal injury related tractor-trailer accident: Current and future medical costs, lost income, and compensation for pain and suffering that is a result of (or may result from) the accident.

Continue reading "Truck Accidents are Attracting Lots of Attention Lately" »

Sadly, here is another one. Yesterday, I saw a story on CNN about a crash involving three 18-wheelers about twenty miles from Raleigh. The wreck killed two people, and one lane of I-85 was shut down for hours. A tractor-trailer traveling along the interstate lost control and hit two trucks parked along the shoulder of the road. Two of the trucks were engulfed in flames, and the driver and a passenger in one of the trucks were killed. Another two drivers were also injured in this truck accident. Thankfully, it does not appear that the injuries to those two drivers were life-threatening.

Continue reading "Bad North Carolina 18 Wheeler Truck Accident Near Raleigh Shuts Down I-85" »

Two people were killed near Butner, North Carolina on February 16 when an 18 wheeler crashed into a parked truck, causing both to burst into flames, on southbound Interstate 85.

The accident happened at about 10 a.m. when the at-fault big rig swerved right and hit another tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder. It then bounced off the first truck and hit still another parked tractor-trailer, which caught fire.

One of those killed was a passenger in the tractor-trailer that caused the collision. The other victim was one of the drivers of the parked tractor-trailers. The at-fault tractor-trailer driver was Xaujie Warner, of Houston. Warner apparently said she lost control of her vehicle and ran off the road. Charges are pending.

The truck that caused the accident and the second truck it hit also were both heavily burned. The first truck that was hit did not catch fire, but it was still seriously damaged. The two parked trucks were owned by Victory Transport of Aulander, North Carolina.

Continue reading "I-85 Tractor Trailer Wreck in North Carolina Claims Two Lives" »

Yet another tragedy on the roads: A logging truck collided head-on with a car being driven by 27-year-old student at Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina on Tuesday. The young lady, Kimberly Vanmarel, was driving a 2003 Suzuki. She died at the scene from massive head trauma. Our thoughts and prayers go out to this young lady's family.

Continue reading "Florence, South Carolina College Student Dies in Head-On Collision With 18-Wheeler" »

In another example of the dangers on the roads, a truck driver was killed on Interstate 26 in South Carolina today when his tractor trailer ran off the road, into a stand of trees. The cab of the 18-wheeler was ripped apart, and the driver was ejected from the vehicle. An eight-mile stretch of I-26 in Dorchester County was closed for approximately four hours after the accident. There was concern that hazardous materials may have been in the trailer, but it appears that there was not a chemical spill.

There was some speculation that the driver may have simply fallen asleep at the wheel.

Continue reading "Truck Accident Death in Dorchester County, South Carolina on I-26" »

This tragic collision happened not far from our main office, and our sympathies go out to those who lost their loved one. On Thursday, February 8, Yvonne Redmond, 46, of West Columbia, died from injuries she received that day when she was hit by a CMC Metal Recycling tractor trailer. Ms. Redmond was walking on the sidewalk in front of West Columbia City Hall when the truck left the roadway, hit her from behind and then ran into a steel power pole in the median head on.

The driver of the truck, Mark Clark, age 53, of Lexington, was taken to Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia. He was treated and released. The West Columbia Police Department is investigating.

Continue reading "18 Wheeler Accident Kills Pedestrian in West Columbia, South Carolina" »

According to The State newspaper, a 52-year-old man from Columbia, South Carolina, died Sunday when his car collided into an 18-wheeler, turned over and was engulfed in flames on I-20. The wreck occurred at 4:40 a.m. Toxicology tests are pending.

The truck driver, John Monroe, 47, of Beaufort, N.C., was not injured.

Toxicology tests are pending.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer Accident Kills 52 Year Old Man" »

Truck drivers and the trucking companies often will blame the victim for auto accidents caused by the trucker. Sometimes, however, that is a more difficult tale to tell, particularly when it appears that the victim is a responsible driver.

A Duncan, South Carolina police officer was injured on January 2 by a tractor trailer which pulled out in front of his patrol car on Highway 290 in Spartanburg County. Officer Phillip Bradley, 22, was driving his 2002 Chevrolet vehicle west on the highway when a Volvo 18-wheeler, driven by Mitchell Boulden, 39, of Houston, pulled out in front of him from West Pine Street. The trucker was charged with failure to yield the right-of-way. Officer Bradley received injuries to his legs and is expected to be out of work for several days.

When trucks ignore traffic laws, and people are injured as a result, victims too often are forced to pay a steep price. Let's hope Officer Bradley recovers quickly and completely from his injuries.

Continue reading "Truck Accident in Spartanburg County" »