OLDHAM COUNTY, Texas—Tragically, two individuals were killed in a collision involving two large trucks on I-40 around 5:15 a.m. on October 21, 2022, 35 miles west of Vega.
According to initial reports, a 42-year-old Amarillo tow truck operator was standing next to a Peterbilt tow truck parked on the westbound shoulder of I-40 because he had just attached a semi-truck for towing. Then, a 2021 Volvo semi-truck, also traveling westbound on I-40, struck the tow truck and operator. The Volvo continued down the road partway before veering into a ditch and rolling onto its side.
When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, both the tow truck operator and the Volvo semi-truck driver had died. The accident resulted in the closure of the westbound lanes of I-40 near the New Mexico state line for approximately six hours.
An investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing. No further information is currently available.
Accidents like this may be prevented with crash avoidance technology, standard on newer trucks.
From the facts that we know, it appears that the driver of the Volvo semi-truck was likely negligent in failing to avoid a collision. Even with that, the tow truck operator's family and other families in similar situations may be interested in how deadly crashes like these may be better prevented. In truth, families should be aware that truck manufacturers have recently developed technology to help truck drivers avoid these types of accidents. When the technology does not work properly, the manufacturer, the driver, and often the trucking company may all share in fault for the preventable crash.
Crash avoidance technology (CAT) assists truck drivers in keeping a semi-truck in its lane or sensing hazards on the roadway before a driver can see them. Most newer models of semi-trucks are equipped with CAT as a standard safety feature. Commercial trucking companies are upgrading their fleets precisely due to the availability of CAT.
Although CAT has many apparent advantages, it is not immune to the pitfalls of technology. When truck drivers become too reliant on CAT, they also become more susceptible to catastrophic crashes when that technology fails. Our firm sees an increase in collisions nationwide attributable to technological failures in the semi-truck's CAT.
In semi-truck crashes like this one, especially where one or more semi-trucks involved is a newer model, victims' families need to know whether the failure of CAT was a potential contributing factor to the crash. If CAT continues to fail, the truck manufacturer(s) may be held partially responsible.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two men who passed in this collision.
The Ammons Law Firm is a nationwide personal injury firm focused on catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. Contact the Ammons Law Firm today for a free accident review.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
