On Tuesday evening, a big rig crash near Iowa Park sent one person to the hospital. According to KFDX News Channel Three, the incident happened on 287 near Harmony Road sometime after 5:00 p.m. Although very few details about this crash have been released, we do know that a southbound pickup truck and an 18-wheeler were involved. The pickup truck was struck on the driver’s side. The driver in the pickup truck, Dylan Bowden of Electra, was transported to United Regional for treatment of injuries.
18-Wheeler Crash in Texoma
On Tuesday night, a woman was killed in an 18-wheeler crash in Bowie. KFDX News Channel Three reports that the semi truck was pulling out of the Star Travel Center on FM 174 at the time of the crash. The other driver, Chelsea Cleveland of Bowie, was transported to United Regional Hospital for treatment, but she died as a result of her injuries. Since the potential for catastrophic and even fatal injuries can occur in crashes involving commercial trucks, there are strict Federal rules and regulations that apply to interstate trucking companies and their drivers. These rules include regulations about hours of service, substances and what type of cargo can be hauled. Investigators have to determine whether or not commercial trucking companies and drivers were complying with all federal safety regulations.
Commercial Vehicle Black Box
These large commercial vehicles often have a “black box,” or GPS tracking device onboard. These devices can help lawyers and investigators to determine what happened prior to and during a crash. The data collected from these devices might have information about speed, timing of brake application, gear shifts and RPMs. All of this information, in addition to the location and time details taken from an onboard GPS unit, helps investigators to reconstruct the accident. Determining exactly what went wrong will be the investigator’s top priority after a truck accident.
FMCSA’s Inspection Documents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) also places strict laws on the requirements of inspections and documentation of commercial vehicles. Pre-trip and post-trip inspection documents must be retained for a certain amount of time. Your lawyer could use these documents as evidence to prove a personal injury case against a negligent truck driver.
The team at the Altman Legal Group sends their deepest condolences to Cleveland’s family members and friends and wishes Bowden a swift and full recovery from his injuries.