February’s icy weather resulted in many accidents across the state. In this particular case, it was the driver of an 18-wheeler who lost his life. The accident happened shortly before 9pm on February 19th on the far east side of San Antonio.
According to police, the driver of the semi-truck was going too fast on the icy roads. When he came across a wrecked vehicle on the shoulder of the FM 1516 overpass on I-10, he tried to slow down and avoid it.
But it was too late. The 18-wheeler jackknifed and hit a concrete wall. The impact ejected its driver. He was not wearing a seatbelt when his big rig slammed into the wall of the overpass. The man was transported to Brook Army Medical Center with head injuries. But he did not survive.
It’s tragic that this man lost his life. Luckily no one else was injured in this accident. The situation could have been even worse if he had struck the stalled vehicle or collided with another car on the overpass of I-10.
Just a week earlier, six people died in the Dallas area due to a massive, 132 vehicle crash. This accident involved a Fed Ex truck and numerous other trucks, 18-wheelers, and cars.
When large trucks are involved in accidents, it can be deadly. While it was the driver of this vehicle who died in the recent San Antonio case, it’s usually the passengers of the other vehicles that are injured or die. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2018, 4,951 people died in 18-wheeler accidents – and 71 percent of these victims were in passenger vehicles. Texas led the nation that year in trucking accident fatalities.
It’s the responsibility of the companies that hire semi-truck drivers to ensure that they are properly trained and practicing caution while on the road. Unfortunately, truck drivers are often under pressure to meet deadlines and fail to follow safety guidelines.
DeSouza Law Firm is a leading personal injury firm representing accident victims throughout Texas.
If you’ve been injured by a car, truck, 18-wheeler, company vehicle, or in the oilfield, call DeSouza Injury Lawyers today at 361-799-2222 or visit the firm online at https://jfdlawfirm.com/.