When driving a large semi-truck, there are many things to consider in order to stay safe. The last thing that any Georgia motorist wants is to be involved in a tractor trailer accident. One of the most obvious reasons is because a vehicle with such size and weight cannot stop quickly or be as responsive at high speeds as smaller vehicles.
A recent accident involving an 18-wheeler that occurred in Lowndes County became fatal. According to authorities, the semi driven by a 32-year-old-man exited from Interstate 75 at a high rate of speed. The crash occurred after the truck ran a stop signal and plowed into a car and an SUV. The truck then rolled down an embankment and came to rest in a restaurant’s parking lot.
Unfortunately, the driver of the truck died in the crash. His passenger lived through the wreck, but not without suffering a head injury. The 23-year-old male driver of the SUV was reportedly transported to a local hospital, but the driver’s current condition is not known at this time. There is no report of any injuries suffered by the driver of the impacted car. The crash site took crews nearly four hours to clear.
While Georgia authorities continue their investigation into this fatal tractor trailer accident, it is believed that excessive speed was the most likely cause of the crash. While the injured truck passenger and the driver of the SUV begin their recovery from the injuries that they suffered in this accident, they have the right to file a personal injury claim for damages against the trucker’s estate and the trucking company the driver was working for at the time. These damages may include out-of-pocket medical expenses and any time lost from work due to this wreck.
Source: wctv.tv, “Truck Driver Killed in Valdosta Rollover Accident”, Joe Hellriegel and Lanetra Bennett, May 22, 2014
