Hayward, CA
Highway 238's traffic has slowed to a crawl due to a pileup of two big rigs and a car that cause the death of at least one person.
Around 5:24a.m. a sedan struck two big rig trucks, becoming trapped under one while causing the other to leak gas.
The Alameda Country Fire crews tried to extract the driver of the smaller vehicle that had become trapped underneath one of the big rigs as of 5:45a.m., but without success. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:30a.m.
The California Highway Patrol received the report at approximately 5:20a.m. on northbound Highway 238, near the Interstate Highway 880 connector and south of Hesperian.
The crash caused major traffic (right lane blocked, left lane on-ramp shut down) on Highway 238 until the site was cleared at 8:23a.m.
Truck accidents result in more traumatic injuries and a larger number of deaths than all other traffic accidents in the United States.
Reasons for accidents involving 18 wheelers:
- Negligence on the part of the truck driver
- Negligence of other drivers involved in the accident
- Failure to inspect brakes, tires and lights
- Tailgating
- Falling asleep at the wheel. Long work-shifts that cause driver fatigue
- Cell phone use
- Failure to install blind spot mirrors
- Jackknifing
- Speeding and ignoring reduced truck speed limit
Passenger cars Safety tips:
- Keep as much space as possible between your vehicle and large trucks.
- Do not linger alongside a truck; you may be in the trucker’s blind spot.
- Do not cut in front of a truck. Trucks take longer to stop.
- Do not tailgate a large truck. If you are following a truck and cannot see the truck’s side mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
- Always give trucks plenty of room when they are turning.
At O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley we have over 50 years of experience and a proven track record of success. If you or a loved one has been the victim of trucking or big rig accident and would like to speak with an attorney, please contact us. We are here to answer your questions and discuss how to protect your legal rights.
KTVU, ABC)
