A recent four-vehicle crash on U.S. Interstate 16 in southeastern Georgia represents just how tragedy can happen from road collisions involving large trucks. A family of three—a husband, wife and 3-year-old son—were killed in the fiery chain-reaction crash after their car was struck from the rear by a tractor-trailer on the afternoon of March 14.
The victims’ car caught fire and struck another tractor-trailer, which in turn sideswiped another vehicle. The family died at the scene about 200 miles southeast of Atlanta. Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation into the Bulloch County crash and speculated whether mechanical issues or distracted driving contributed to the crash.
Nearly 9% of Georgia’s fatal accidents involved large trucks
Such a crash can happen anywhere and demonstrates the dangers that surface when sharing roads with these monstrous vehicles that weigh several tons and even more when hauling a full cargo. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 5,000 people died and an estimated 151,000 injured in 2018 in U.S. accidents involving large trucks.
Georgia reported that 187 people died in the 193 fatal accidents involving big-rig trucks in 2018. According to NHTSA statistics, fatal accidents involving large trucks comprised almost 9% of Georgia’s 2,165 fatal motor vehicle accidents during that year.
Not surprisingly, you may take the right precautions and subscribe to safe driving habits and defensive driving, but still become involved in a major accident with a big-rig truck. The results typically result in catastrophic or fatal injuries to drivers and occupants of the smaller vehicles.
Sadly, that was the case of the young family killed in Bulloch County. Led by a father who was a high school principal, the family has grieving loved ones wondering how such a tragedy could happen.
