Two Killed, Two Injured in Truck Accident on I-35 in Austin, TX
Austin, TX — September 6, 2022, two people died and two were injured when a commercial truck and a sedan collided on Interstate 35 in downtown Austin.
Authorities say the incident happened shortly before 8:30 a.m. along the 600 block of southbound I-35 near Exit 234-A toward Cesar Chavez. Preliminary investigation suggests that a Mack garbage compactor truck was southbound on the highway when it crashed into the back of a Chevy Malibu. The impact pushed the car into the back of a second garbage truck and crushed the car between them.
The sedan's 23-year-old driver and 36-year-old passenger died on scene. Both truck drivers were taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Truck Accident on I-35 in Austin
According to later reports, the Mack truck driver told police he looked down to see if he stepped on something in his truck, then looked up and was too late to avoid the car. Barring some truly stellar mental gymnastics, that seems to be almost a textbook example of driver distraction.
When a multi-ton big rig is barreling down the road at highway speeds in what police termed "heavy traffic," there is virtually no excuse for distraction. Unless that driver had good reason to believe he stepped on an active land mine, his attention should have been prioritized on the road. Because it wasn't, two innocent lives were lost. Under the law, that may mean both the trucker and his employer should answer for the damage done and make what amends they can to the victims' families.
However, long experience has taught me that "should answer" doesn't necessarily mean "will humbly and immediately accept fault." Many people have been rudely shocked to find out how stubborn--and how inventive--a trucking company may get to avoid blame, no matter how damning preliminary reports might seem. It's always better for people to know what they might be in for if they butt heads with such a company, which is why I wrote some material about it. Click below to learn more.
