ARNOLD, Neb. – An accident unfolded near Arnold, Nebraska, resulting in the loss of one driver’s life as a semi-truck collided with a road construction broom sweeper. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the details of this incident.
On Wednesday morning, a collision occurred just west of Arnold on eastbound Highway 92. Preliminary findings indicate that a semi-truck impacted the road construction broom sweeper in front of it.
The force of the collision caused the road broom sweeper to veer into the southern ditch while the semi-truck, which was pulling a livestock trailer, came to rest in the opposite ditch.
Authorities received the report of the accident at 6:02 a.m. Emergency responders were immediately dispatched to the scene. The 56-year-old driver of the broom sweeper, hailing from Broken Bow, was transported to Great Plains Health Hospital in North Platte, where he was pronounced deceased.
The semi-truck driver did not require transportation to the hospital and sustained only minor injuries.
It has been confirmed that the semi-truck driver was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident. However, it is unknown whether the driver of the broom sweeper was wearing his seatbelt.
More Must be Done to Reduce Rear-End Collisions Involving Commercial Vehicles
Each year, 5,700 people die in large truck accidents (National Safety Council, 2023). This means an average of 15 people die daily in truck-related incidents. Many of these tragic crashes are a result of rear-end collisions. Most rear-end truck collisions occur because of distracted driving, speed, fatigue, and even negligence from the trucking company. When this happens, all parties at fault must be held accountable.
When a person’s vehicle is rear-ended, it is almost always the fault of the party impacting the car in front of them. While many details of this devastating accident are still left unknown, the news article shows that the truck driver impacted the road broom sweeper vehicle from behind. Once these facts are confirmed true, those responsible for the crash must be held accountable.
Many truck accidents have been a result of speeding and distracted driving. Truck drivers have to be mindful of all types of vehicles and motorists on the road. If a slower car, like a road broom sweeper, is on the road, truck drivers must be alert and focused on safely maintaining proper distance around these vehicles. These drivers should not speed, text, check social media, or glance away from the road for even a second. Failure to do so results in disasters.
There are still unanswered questions in this tragic incident. What is the trucking company’s role in the accident? For example, did the trucking company require a high safety standard from its drivers? Did the company check the driver’s driving record for speeding violations or other transgressions? Does the company have negative consequences for drivers who do not make it to their destination on time? Such a policy would result in drivers speeding to avoid penalties.
Trained professionals must find the answers to these questions. If any wrongdoing is found on behalf of the truck driver and the trucking company, they must be held responsible for their actions.
While we still do not know all the facts of this horrific crash, one thing is for sure: the family of the road broom sweeper driver deserves compensation and justice for their unexpected loss.
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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in truck accident cases, with extensive experience in dealing with commercial truck accidents.
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.
