Truck drivers are held to a higher standard of care than other smaller vehicles with which they share the road. This is because of not only the nature of their vehicles but also due to the often dangerous or hazardous nature of the products that they are carrying. When a truck crash occurs and it is due to the negligence of the driver of the commercial motor vehicle, that driver and potentially their employer can be held responsible for damages owed to any injured parties.
A collision that recently occurred in Los Angeles that involved a Metro bus and a flatbed tow truck had a tragic result for the driver of the bus. According to reports, the driver of the flatbed tow truck was traveling 60 mph in a 30 mph zone when he ran a red light. After running the red light, the driver of the two truck collided with the Metro bus.
The collision caused the bus to break off a fire hydrant, flooding the intersection. Witnesses found the driver of the bus face down in the water from the hydrant that had flooded the street. She was revived by medics and hospitalized but was unfortunately later pronounced dead at the hospital.
After the initial collision, the flatbed tow truck crashed through the front of a 7-Eleven convenience store. The driver of the flatbed suffered head trauma and was listed in serious condition after the accident. The owner of the convenience store also suffered minor injuries.
Although this accident is still under investigation, authorities do believe that the truck driver was not only speeding but that he also ran a red light. A first glance at this accident would make it appear that the serious injuries suffered by the other parties were due to the truck driver’s negligence. If true, they may have a strong personal injury case.
Source: NBC Los Angeles, “Bus Driver Killed in “Horrific” Downtown LA Collision With Tow Truck,” Jonathan Lloyd, Annette Arreola and Patrick Healy, June 12, 2013
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