An auto accident does not always involve just motorists and their passengers. When vehicles crash into property such as homes and businesses, the damage can be devastating; the victims are not protected inside a vehicle and they are most likely completely surprised by the accident.
When a large vehicle such as an 18-wheeler is involved in an accident off the roadways, the results can be far more destructive than an auto wreck involving smaller passenger vehicles, due to the sheer weight of the truck.
An Ohio woman recently experienced the devastation that an out-of-control semi can cause. The woman’s home is situated adjacent to Interstate Highway 75. She was outside mowing her lawn when the driver of a semi lost control of his 18-wheeler.
The truck careened off of the highway and plowed into her garage, knocking it from its foundation and collapsing two walls. Pieces of the collapsed structure hit the woman, trapping her under the wreckage. She sustained serious injuries and was taken to the hospital.
The truck driver was treated at the scene for his injuries and thus far has only been cited for failing to maintain control of his vehicle. The victim in this accident and her family will most likely face medical expenses and long term pain and suffering.
In addition to the damage to her property, and the serious injuries she has suffered, there was an environmental concern which required a supervised cleanup of the approximately 50 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled out of the 18-wheeler in the crash.
Although it has not yet been determined if the driver in this accident was fatigued or distracted, these are often cited as causes for similar accidents. Truck drivers throughout the nation must comply with strict federal safety regulations. Among many other things, those rules mandate the amount of time that they can drive in a shift and how much rest they must have before driving again. If they fail to comply with these rules and cause an accident, they can be held accountable.
Source: The Blade, “Findlay-area woman hurt as truck hits garage,” June 26, 2014