Adam Francis Killed in Truck Accident on US-79 in Freestone County, TX
Freestone County, TX -- January 18, 2022, 39-year-old Adam Francis was killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 79 in Freestone County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 12:50 p.m. on US-79 near Park Road 315. Preliminary investigation suggests Francis was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck with a utility trailer northeast on the highway some distance behind a Western Star tractor-trailer.
Reports indicate the big rig slowed to make a turn into a private drive and Francis allegedly failed to control the pickup's speed, crashing into the back of the semi-trailer. The pickup then drove off the road to the east before coming to rest.
Adam Francis suffered fatal injuries in the collision. The truck driver was unhurt.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Adam Francis Accident on US-79 in Freestone County
People tend to read early reports like this one, see someone rear-ended a truck, and assume that person is to blame without much additional thought. The idea that a rear-end crash is always the rear driver's fault, without exception, is still one of the most pervasive misunderstandings I contend with. I can understand how folks might believe that because of how often investigations conclude something to that effect, but it's still not as automatic as some believe it to be.
Moreover, preliminary reports must generally be taken with a grain or two of salt because they're typically just the officer's "best guess" from what they could find at the scene. Further careful investigation sometimes finds details that contradict what's written in those reports, so before anyone can really say what happened in Freestone County it's important to consider all the possible explanations and variables.
To make sure the accident is properly understood its specific details must be learned. For instance, what is visibility like in that area? Exactly how fast was the victim's pickup traveling at the time? Was it in proper working order--brakes, steering, safety measures? Reports say the truck slowed to turn just before the collision, so did the truck driver slow gradually or brake abruptly when approaching the private drive? Did they use a turn signal? If so, did it work properly? Did any witnesses see more of what happened? Was the victim paying attention to his surroundings? If not, why not? Could he have been distracted, or possibly even have been incapacitated by a medical issue?
I don't mean to overcomplicate this matter or suggest I know more than what reports indicate. I'm only saying what I so often do: When people are hurt or killed in accidents like this one, it's not right to blame them by default just because they hit the back of another vehicle. Instead, it's critical to invest the time and resources to understand exactly how and why the wreck happened. To find those answers one must account for all the potential factors. It's possible a full analysis would just find or confirm a simple explanation, but only after all options are considered can anyone be sure. At the very least the victim should receive the benefit of the doubt unless the evidence says otherwise.
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