Did Speeding and Distraction Cause a Fiery I-40 Truck Accident?
On Tuesday May 7, 2019, what turned out to be a deadly tractor-trailer crash occurred on Interstate 40 in McDowell County. A FedEx truck crashed into the rear end of another tractor-trailer because vehicles had slowed for an accident ahead, according to WECT.com. The FedEx truck pushed the tractor-trailer into two other vehicles, it sustained heavy damage and caught fire. Coverage from WWAY.com reports that the FedEx truck failed to reduce speed when it came upon the vehicles that had slowed down because of an incident ahead on the highway. The truck was traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour on impact. The FedEx driver reportedly died at the scene, but there were no other injuries, and no one involved was transported by EMS.
This tragic crash seems to have been a result of two preventable factors that cause many traffic accidents: distraction and speeding. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reports that 3,994 of 532,079 total traffic crashes were caused by driver distraction. The distractions included cell phones, electronic devices, other passengers in the vehicle, something external to the vehicle.
NCDOT reports that 31.9% of traffic fatalities were related to speeding in a recent year. There were 91,603 traffic accidents with 445 being fatal and 46,589 injuries. We read traffic statistics and may be horrified or shocked at the numbers, but to make it more tangible, it is as if each year, every resident of Wake Forest, NC (pop. 46,133) was injured in a car crash because of speeding.
Truck drivers are professionals and they have a great responsibility to drive their massive trucks with courtesy for the other drivers with whom they share the road, and to obey the law. Speeding can be characterized as either exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions. If the posted speed limit for the highway was 65, then driving at 70 miles per hour is not terribly egregious, however, when every vehicle on the road ahead has slowed down to a stop-and-go crawl because of an accident ahead, 70 mph is a deadly fast speed. When you couple the fact that the driver was likely distracted by something if he or she failed to notice the slowdown in traffic up ahead, speeding while distracted from the task of driving turned out to be a fatal combination for the FedEx driver.
Every driver owes a duty of care to the drivers with whom they share the road to obey the traffic laws. Each of us is operating a deadly machine capable of causing a great deal of destruction if it is not managed appropriately. When one driver’s negligence causes injury to others, he or she can be held accountable for the damages he or she causes. In crashes with commercial trucks, there may be other liable parties, too, such as the trucking company.
If you have been injured in a truck accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, the Charlotte truck accident lawyers at Warren & Kallianos, PLLC are here to fight for justice for you. We demand fair compensation from truckers and truck companies who are responsible for your pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle damage. You may schedule your free case consultation by calling 704-377-7777 or completing our contact form.
At Warren & Kallianos, we believe in the importance of working directly with our attorneys, Jeff Warren and Chris Kallianos. When you work with our firm, Jeff and Chris are always accessible to you throughout the progress of your case.
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