Carl Junction Tractor Trailer Crash Results in Fatality of 19 Year-Old

Fatal Carl Junction Crash

A Wednesday afternoon tractor trailer crash resulted in the death of a 19 year-old man just west of Carl Junction.  According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the young man’s 1965 Ford Mustang was struck by a semi in a rear-end crash on Route YY, west of Jasper county Road 300 around 4:20 p.m. The young man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 24 year-old tractor trailer driver of Goodman was not hurt.  This was the 29th fatality for Troop D thus far in 2016. While all traffic fatalities are tragic, the loss of a young life is especially unsettling.

Rear-End Collisions

While rear-end collisions account for approximately 80 percent of car crashes in the U.S, they can range from minor to serious.  Rear-end crashes are  most often thought to result in minor injuries, but further analysis of data shows that this is a misconception. Many factors are involved when it comes to determining the severity of a rear-end crash.  The size of the vehicles involved and the speed at which they are traveling (or if they are at a complete stop) as well as the physical injuries sustained all factor into the severity of a rear-end crash.

More often than not, when a tractor-trailer is involved in any type of crash with a passenger motor vehicle, the result is serious and sadly, this one was fatal.

Causes of Rear-End Crashes

Depending on the scenario, there can be many causes of rear-end crashes. The most common causes are distracted driving or inattentiveness and following too closely.  When a commercial vehicle is involved, more factors must be examined in determining the causes of the crash.

Commercial drivers are held to a higher standard of driving performance as they are professional drivers and because they often haul heavy loads that can create serious injuries and fatalities when they are involved in crashes.

While we have not seen any of the investigative reports of the scene, accident reconstruction experts will have to do a thorough evaluation including determination of whether the commercial driver was following all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations including following the Hours-of-Service requirements which can usually be substantiated in driving logs and often in the computer onboard the tractor-trailer.

When following another vehicle in traffic, you have to be very wary of your following distance. Drivers of semi trucks with heavy loads require a much greater distance in order to stop and commercial drivers have to be certain they are following a safe distance to avoid collisions.

Commercial Vehicles

Unlike passenger vehicles with an average weight of 3000 pounds, commercial vehicles and trailers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, thus tractor trailers can cause tremendous damage.  When a commercial driver fails to stop, we have to look to the reasons of why the driver failed to stop.  Was it due to inattentiveness or was the driver fatigued?  Additionally, the investigation should include whether or not the brakes and equipment on the tractor-trailer were working properly.

There are a couple of reasons why through investigations must occur. One, it is critical to the family of the deceased to find out “Why” this crash occurred.  Every victim’s loved ones want to know how this death could have happened and who is responsible.  Secondly, the Missouri Department of Transportation needs this valuable data to add to their arsenal of information in order to improve trucking safety regulations.

If You’ve Been Injured

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a tractor-trailer crash, you will need legal representation. Collisions with commercial vehicles are different than collision with other passenger vehicles regarding both the severity of the crash and the insurance issues that follow.

Our attorneys are expert truck crash attorneys and we understand the regulations that transportation carriers must adhere to in order to be safe.  When someone is seriously injured or killed in a tractor-trailer crash, hiring an attorney ensures any additional investigation occurs and makes sure that your family’s best interests are protected.

We are available for free consultations seven days a week, toll free 1.800.685.3302 or locally 314. 276.1681