EDMUNDS COUNTY, South Dakota- 47-year-old Curtis Baker was pronounced dead at the scene of a collision between a Peterbilt semi-truck driven by Baker and a 1995 International 9400 straight truck.
According to reports, the unidentified driver of the straight truck ran through a stop sign at the intersection of 330th Avenue and US Highway 12 as Baker was heading westbound on Highway 12. The two vehicles collided in the intersection, resulting in fatal injuries.
Authorities reported that Baker was killed at the scene of the crash and that the driver of the straight truck sustained minor injuries. The crash is being investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Charges are pending against the driver of the straight truck.
No further information is currently available.
Thoughts on the fatal truck accidents
This sounds like a case of driver error, pure and simple. Obeying stop signs is one of the most basic and important rules of the road, regardless of the type of vehicle one drives, and this accident shows us why. In one second, lives can be ended and families shattered. The driver of the straight truck should be held accountable for his negligence and for the unnecessary pain and suffering that his negligence has brought on the family of Mr. Baker. There are a variety of reasons drivers run stop signs, but distracted driving is by far the most common. If it is found that the driver of the straight truck was engaged in distracted driving, the Baker family may be able to recover against the driver for his negligence.
If the straight truck driver has an employer, the Baker family may be able to recover against the employer in addition to the driver. Our investigations often find that employers neglect to give their employees the proper training and supervision needed to drive such large vehicles and that they often pressure their employees to work beyond their assigned shifts. Neglectful or irresponsible behavior on the part of the driver’s employer may also have contributed to the driver’s failure to stop, and they should be held accountable to the Baker family if that is the case.
The bottom line here is that one driver ran a stop sign, and another driver died as a result. The Baker family deserves answers about the death of their loved one, and any wrongdoers must be held to account. Our thoughts are with all of Mr. Baker’s loved ones at this terrible time.
