Driver Injured in 18-Wheeler Rollover Crash on FM 616 in Jackson County, TX
Jackson County, TX — October 20, 2022, a 46-year-old truck driver was injured in a single-vehicle 18-wheeler accident on FM 616 in Jackson County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 10:35 a.m. on Farm to Market Road 616 near mile marker 708. Preliminary investigation suggests a Peterbilt semi-truck was towing a trailer east on the roadway when it entered a slight curve. It truck partially entered the grassy shoulder and investigators allege the driver over-corrected, causing the truck to spin and leave the road to the north. It then overturned and rolled several times before coming to rest upright in the grass north of the road.
The truck driver was ejected during the rollover and suffered serious injuries.
No further information is currently available.
One thing I often try to stress after many accidents is the importance of not treating preliminary reports like the gospel truth of what happened. That's not to pick a fight with police, only to say that many accidents are much more complex than a first glance might account for. People are sometimes too quick to blame driver mistakes like speeding or distraction when many other factors might also have played significant roles—and that's just in the crash itself. Finding out what actually caused the victim's injuries is often a whole other endeavor.
Some may not see how that could be true here as police alleged the driver was ejected due to not wearing a seat belt. Maybe they're right, but I've also done this long enough to know that's the well they dip from any time someone's found anywhere except snugly buckled into their seat. The unfortunate truth is that seat belts break or come unbuckled during rollovers far more often than anyone might think, yet that's rarely considered in the aftermath of such a crash.
So is it possible this whole affair has a simple explanation? Sure. Is that guaranteed, though? Absolutely not. As with all crashes, the first and most important thing is simply to learn the truth—what happened, how and why it happened, what hurt the victim, and whether any of that could have been prevented. I hope that's how authorities and the company behind that driver handled this matter before all was said and done.
