It’s been almost three years since a fatal accident happened on US 77 near FM 236 in Victoria. The accident, involving two Jett Transport 18-wheelers and Ford F-250 left one man dead and caused damage to a total of seven vehicles.
The accident happened at one o’clock in the afternoon on Monday, April 16, 2018. According to police reports, traffic was slowed to a halt on 77 and the driver of the F-250 was behind a Jett Transport tractor-trailer on the highway. Another large Jett Transport truck approached but failed to slow down in time.
Sadly, this second truck hit the F-250 crushing it between the two Jett Transport 18-wheelers and killing its driver. A spokesman for the Department of Public Safety said that the fatal accident was caused by the second 18-wheeler’s failure to maintain proper speed on the highway.
According to the owner of Jett Transport, which is based in Von Ormy, the driver of the semi-truck that caused the collision had a clean driving record and no speeding violations. In order to conduct a full investigation, traffic had to be diverted at the FM 1685 exit ramp for the next five hours.
Yes, this accident could have been the fault of the Jett Transport driver, but there may have been more to the story. If the driver wasn’t properly trained, coerced into falsifying his records to meet a high-pressure deadline, or if the vehicle itself failed, Jett Transport could also be held liable in a court of law.
However, if Texas House Bill 19 and Senate Bill 207 are passed, this could all change. Instead of being able to sue the trucking company for an accident such as this one, if these bills pass, victims and their families may be limited to pursuing legal action against the driver.
The new bills could protect trucking companies from being held responsible for accidents involving their drivers. Many of these trucking companies already push the limits of safety and good judgement. If passed, the bills would make the roads less safe for everyone.
To learn more about House Bill 19 and Senate Bill 207 visit KeepTexasSafe.com
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/.