1 Killed, 7 Injured in 18-wheeler Accident on US Highway 87 in Lynn County, TX
Lynn County, TX -- May 10, 2022, one person was killed and seven were injured due to an accident where their vehicle hit an 18-wheeler.
Investigators reported that the crash took place at around 6:10 p.m. along US Highway 87 off Loop 76.
Officials said that a 25-year-old Caruthers, California man was driving a Ford Explorer northbound on US 87. Ahead, an 18-wheeler was stopped at a crossover to turn southbound, but the trailer was reportedly sticking out into northbound lanes. The Ford Explorer crashed into the back of the trailer, then went off-road and overturned.
Due to the crash, a 33-year-old man in the Ford sustained fatal injuries. The driver and two other passengers reportedly had incapacitating injuries. Another passenger was said to have non-incapacitating injuries while three others had unspecified injuries.
No further information about the crash is available at this time.
Commentary on 18-wheeler Accident on US 87 in Lynn County
While this did happen during daylight hours, it doesn't really change the fact that an 18-wheeler was blocking lanes of travel so it could make a u-turn. Quite frankly, I've known truckers whose employers would fire them for even trying something like that. It is almost always dangerous, and it can usually be avoided by prudent planning and reasonable business practices in the event a driver has to err on the side of caution and go out of their way to find somewhere safe to turn around. The fact that didn't happen here raises some serious red flags.
I can't help thinking back to a case I handled with similar details. A truck stopped as it was crossing a roadway, and its trailer was hanging out into the lanes of travel. What made things worse, though, was it had a steel slab hanging off the back of the trailer. Not only was the trailer to short, but the "red" flag marking the end of the slab was so old and weather that it might as well have been invisible. As a result, a car hit the slab, going beneath it, and striking the driver in the head, killing them.
That's why blocking traffic lanes with a commercial truck is such a risky thing to do in most cases. It creates a deadly hazard that is not always easily avoidable, as some may think it is. However, that never stops trucking companies from trying to blame the other driver for not slowing down. That's why thorough independent investigations are so crucial. Sorting out just how avoidable a crash was and who exactly should be held responsible means getting the facts. These reports alone aren't likely telling the whole story.
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