Driver Dies in Turnpike Crash
Spurring a shutdown of the New Jersey Turnpike and a traffic jam lasting for hours, a dump truck overturned and caught fire, causing the death of the dump truck driver. The chain of events leading to the crash began with a traffic stop. A state trooper had pulled over another driver for a traffic stop, near the Wood Avenue overpass at mile marker 97 on the southbound Turnpike. Under the Move Over law, drivers are required to either drop to a speed below the posted limit, or move to another lane when passing a state trooper. A tractor trailer driving in the right lane swerved into the center lane to avoid the state trooper. In doing so, the tractor trailer caused the dump truck driver behind him to suddenly slam on his brakes to avoid rear-ending the tractor trailer, but lost control of his truck and struck the pillar supporting the Wood Avenue overpass. The dump truck then overturned and caught on fire, which caused emergency personnel to close the overpass due to concern the fire would damage the overpass, and it could possibly collapse under the weight of subsequent traffic. However, fire personnel were able to put out the blaze quickly, and the overpass was reopened. The southbound lanes of the Turnpike remained closed for hours. The driver of the tractor-trailer did not make contact with the dump truck, and continued traveling down the turnpike after causing the dump truck driver to lose control.
Accidents caused by unsafe lane changes are a common cause of accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 9% of all motor vehicle crashes are caused by unsafe lane changes. These accidents are especially common where tractor trailers are involved, since their blind spots are so much larger than those in passenger vehicles. This accident is a tragic example of how dangerous it can be to fail to give adequate notice when making a lane change.
Busy highways filled with large trucks can be dangerous places. Even an act which seems rude but largely innocuous, such as an abrupt lane change, can have fatal consequences. If you’ve been injured by another individual’s negligent behavior, either on the road or elsewhere, seek out legal help with the experience and knowledge to successfully recover against large trucking companies or individual drivers. Call the Wayne, New Jersey personal injury attorneys at Massood Law Group for a consultation on your claims at 844-4MB-HURT, or 973-696-1900.
