It takes a little fire in the belly to fight with truck companies and insurance companies day in and day out. I get personally offended when, for example, an insurance company offers a pittance when one of their insured’s vehicles crosses a centerline and kills somebody’s mother. But being passionate alone is not enough. The best way to beat the truck companies is old-fashioned hard work. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or call me at 1-800-628-4500.
Freep.com reports that a semi-truck stopped at a rail crossing in southwest Detroit, Michigan and was struck by a Norfolk Southern train, injuring the train’s conductor and assistant as well as the driver of the semi. With 48 crashes and 12 deaths last year, Michigan ranks 13th in the nation for the number of train crossing wrecks despite the efforts of Norfolk Southern’s “Operation Lifesaver,” a program that raises public awareness of rail crossing hazards. Detroit police investigators are working to determine the cause of this truck/train accident.
Dailyme.com reports that a semi-tractor trailer traveling south on I-75 near Gibraltar Road in Brownstown Township, Michigan, struck and killed a 56-year-old Flat Rock, Michigan resident who was standing beside his car on the right shoulder of the interstate. Police investigators have ruled out alcohol as a factor in the truck accident.
Star-Telegram.com reports that an 18-wheeler hauling produce lost control on Interstate 30 in Arlington, Texas, struck a concrete barrier, then jackknifed causing its trailer to tip over onto an SUV, killing one occupant of the SUV. The victim, a 17-year-old local resident died while receiving treatment at Arlington Memorial Hospital. The driver of the SUV, a 16-year-old who is now in police custody charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for allegedly stealing the SUV and failure to stop and render aid for attempting to flee the accident scene, received non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. Texas Department of Transportation officials are continuing to investigate the cause of this truck accident and state that at this point, “it is unclear what caused [it.]”
The Columbian reports that a semi-truck failed to stop at a construction zone on Interstate 5 at milepost 88 near Centralia, Washington and struck two passenger vehicles, injuring three people in those cars. Among the injured was the driver of a four-door Cadillac that was totaled in the crash. The state patrol states that the truck accident occurred just before 4 a.m. and they are investigating whether speed played a role in the crash.
Chicago Tribune.com reports that a semi trailer carrying a backhoe became disabled and stopped at a rail crossing in Mebane, North Carolina where it was struck by an Amtrak passenger train going 70 mph, injuring a least a dozen people. Witnesses reported hearing a “big boom” and then seeing debris fly through the air. The train, which connects Raleigh and Charlotte, was carrying 36 passengers at the time of the truck crash. Two passengers were seriously injured and were taken to Duke University Hospital. Those passengers with minor injuries were taken to Alamance Regional where they were treated for cuts and bruises. Gates and lights at the rail crossing were in perfect working order according to a Department of Transportation spokeswoman. Mebane police are investigating.
