EMPORIA, Kansas- Two women were injured after veering into the median in an attempt to avoid crashing into a semi-truck.
According to investigators, Tarrerae Grubb was driving a Ford Focus northbound on I-35 when a semi-truck pulled out of a construction lane in front of her vehicle. Grubb veered into the median to avoid colliding with the truck and struck a culvert, sending her vehicle airborne.
Grubb and the other passenger in the Ford, Karen Hitt, were treated at a local hospital for reportedly minor injuries.
No further information was immediately available.
Thoughts on construction zone accidents
It is incredibly fortunate there were no serious injuries or fatalities because of this accident, and our thoughts are with Ms. Grubb and Ms. Hitt as they recover. Every day, our firm helps victims of crashes like this seek relief against those who create these dangerous situations. The facts given here, and our firm’s experience with cases like this, allow us to outline some potential strategies for these victims to recover from their injuries.
Driving in active construction zones demands a heightened level of vigilance on the part of all drivers, particularly drivers of large semi-trucks. The lanes are narrowed, there are construction workers, cones, and other pieces of equipment drivers must be aware of, and the speed limit is reduced. If it is found that the semi-truck driver here disobeyed any traffic laws or was engaged in any form of distracted driving, Ms. Grubb and Ms. Hitt may be able to recover against the driver for his negligence.
Improper safety training and safety procedures are two other common causes of crashes like this. Successfully navigating a vehicle as large as a semi-truck through tight, stop-and-go traffic in construction zones requires drivers to be up to date on their safety training. Unfortunately, to get drivers on the road faster, we often see employers cut corners when it comes to administering appropriate training to their drivers. A finding of this nature may allow the victims here to recover against the driver’s employer for negligence.
Alternatively, it is possible that the construction zone failed to comply with proper safety procedures. We often see preventable construction zone crashes that result, at least in part, from the zone itself being improperly constructed. If the workers were not properly trained or simply ignored their training while performing their job may provide yet another party to hold accountable for this crash.
Construction zones are inherently dangerous driving environments that pose a heightened risk to motorists. You can be sure that any investigation conducted by our firm will be exhaustive and that we will pursue all potential options for legal recourse. We remain grateful that there was no loss of life here, and our deepest sympathies go out to the victims as they recover.