Cody Wayne Sanders Injured in Tractor-Trailer Accident in Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth, TX -- March 17, 2021, Cody Wayne Sanders was injured due to an accident where a pickup crashed with an 18-wheeler.
Authorities were called out to the crash scene at around 11:40 p.m. The accident happened at Saginaw Boulevard and Hicks Field Road.
According to reports, 35-year-old Cody Wayne Sanders was in a Dodge Ram traveling northbound along Saginaw. Authorities said that an 18-wheeler on westbound Hicks Field made a left turn across northbound Saginaw, resulting in Sanders's pickup crashing into the side of the trailer.
Due to the collision, Sanders sustained injuries said to be incapacitating. Reports did not list any other injuries. Authorities said that Sanders may have been speeding at the time. They did not release any additional details.
Commentary on Cody Wayne Sanders Tractor-Trailer Accident in Fort Worth
Authorities listed Sanders possibly speeding as a potential factor in the crash. I don't have specific reason to doubt this. However, I can't help wondering why they didn't bring up any other potential factors. From what I can tell, traffic on Saginaw had the right-of-way at this intersection. So why did the truck driver think he had enough time to make a left turn? It's certainly possible for an approaching vehicle to be going so incredibly fast that it misleads even a trained, professional driver. Most of the time, however, even if someone was speeding, a prudent driver should be attentive enough to determine there isn't enough time to safely make the turn.
One thing to consider is where police got the idea the victim was speeding. I had a case not long ago where initial reports said a victim was speeding before hitting an 18-wheeler. Why did authorities say that? Well, because that's what the truck driver said. When he had independent accident reconstructionists look into the details, the crash scene analysis, the ECM data, and a frozen speedometer all proved the victim hadn't been speeding, and the 18-wheeler simply cut him off.
Again, it would be irresponsible to say that did or didn't happen here without seeing more evidence. Were the vehicles well-lit? What is visibility like on this stretch of road? Is there poor signage or an unreasonable lack of traffic signals? Why did the truck driver decide they had time to turn? Were they running late on a deadline? Do they have a history of accidents? Was alcohol a factor in the accident? Only by answers as many questions as possible can there be some degree of certainty that those hurt in the crash will get the help they deserve.
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