Commercial truck drivers are supposed to be held to high safety standards and regularly tested because of the innate dangers of large vehicles travelling at high speeds. Unfortunately, not all truck drivers adhere to those standards, and other motorists often suffer injuries as a result.
Recently a worker in Kauai died when a commercial truck driver lost control of his vehicle and left the roadway. The accident occurred at 9:30 a.m. on June 20. The semi-truck was westbound on Kaumualii Highway when the driver attempted to stop in response to traffic conditions. However, he was unable to stop in time and veered the truck onto the shoulder to avoid colliding with other vehicles.
On the shoulder of the highway, the 55-year-old worker and two others were fixing a tire on a trailer attached to a county pickup truck. The semi reportedly collided with the trailer and injured all three men.
The 55-year-old worker died as a result of his injuries. The two other workers suffered injuries that were not thought to b life-threatening. The survivors were transported to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The driver of the semi-truck reportedly suffered no injuries.
Traffic safety investigators closed the stretch of highway in both directions for approximately four hours as they investigated the crash site.
Controlling the exceptional inertia of large trucks in motion is one of the primary responsibilities of commercial truck drivers. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a truck accident, then an attorney with experience in truck accident claims can investigate the crash with a view toward obtaining the compensation you need and deserve.
Source: Star Advertiser, “Kauai worker killed in truck crash is identified,” June 20, 2014