Last week, a crash near Slidell involving a semi-truck took the life of a Sanger woman. According to the Wise County Messenger, 64-year-old Anita Eugster was headed westbound on Farm Road 455 on Wednesday morning just before the crash. As she attempted to turn south at the intersection for Farm Road 51, her car was struck by an 18-wheeler. Witness reports indicate that both vehicles were airborne in the moments following the collision.
Sadly, Eugster died on the scene as a result of her injuries. Her four-year-old granddaughter was air lifted to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth for treatment. As of Thursday, she was still listed in critical condition, but there’s no word on the extent of her injuries. Witnesses jumped into action to help the victims, and first responders were swiftly on the scene.
Although the large tanker truck overturned on the west side of the roadway, slid and crashed into recreational vehicles nearby, the driver was able to walk away from the scene. Thankfully, the tanker was hauling saltwater at the time, so the risk of a large explosion wasn’t as great as it could have been.
Crashes Involving 18-Wheelers
Crashes involving large commercial trucks can be devastating and fatal for drivers and passengers in lighter cars and trucks. Semi trucks are so much larger and heavier than traditional passenger occupant vehicles, and truck drivers have a duty to drive responsibly to keep roadways in Texas and across the country safe for other motorists.
Keeping Roadways Safe
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been charged with regulating the commercial trucking industry to improve safety for commercial and non-commercial drivers across the country. Since big rigs are so large and heavy, commercial truck drivers and trucking companies have additional rules and regulations to follow to keep everybody safe.
After a Semi Truck Crash
Investigations involving semi truck crashes need to be incredibly in depth. Commercial truck drivers have more rules and regulations to follow than other drivers on the roadway. It’s important to have a lawyer with semi-truck case experience who can help to determine if any safety violations were made or if any of the laws governing the safe operation of a large truck were broken at the time of a crash. The team at the Altman Legal Group sends their deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Anita Eugster and wishes her granddaughter a full and speedy recovery.