Two people tragically died when the SUV they were driving smashed into a big rig. The accident happened Monday, July 1 at 8 p.m. on Highway 43 just south of Hanford in Kings County. According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of the semi-truck apparently turned in front of the SUV, and its driver didn’t have time to stop or swerve.
The collision killed two occupants of the SUV and severely injured a third while the driver of the semi-truck was unharmed. The crash shut down a section of Highway 43 for a few hours, and it’s is still under investigation. It’s unknown at this time if the driver of the semi-truck will be charged.
Semi-Truck Crashes
Semi-trucks are vital to the economic life-blood of the Central Valley, but they are also dangerous to others on the road. While truck drivers statistically drive safer than a typical passenger car driver, the danger comes from the size and weight of the big rigs.
A fully-loaded tractor trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds which puts just about any vehicle on the losing end if there’s an accident. Another challenge for drivers in the Central Valley is the type of roads that those in small towns drive on every day.
According to a report by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, 57 percent of all large truck fatalities happen on rural highways, and when fatalities on rural sections of interstate freeways are added, that number jumps to 84 percent.
Do I need an Attorney?
Some people injured in a commercial truck crash think that if it’s obviously the fault of the truck driver, then their insurance company will take care of them. Don’t make this mistake. Big insurance companies don’t make any money by giving it all away. They will do everything they can to either place the blame on you or someone else or they will try to diminish the value of your injuries.
Talk to an unbiased attorney that you can trust to give you trusted advice. Contact Maison Law at 559-203-3333 to start getting someone on your side so you can focus on the important things like recovering from your injuries and getting your life back on track.
In the event a loved one was killed in a crash, you should also be aware of Wrongful Death Claims.
