Washington Injury Law Blog

I recently wrote a post about a rule change that allows semi-truck drivers to be on the road longer each day. Increasing driving hours can cause more fatigued and distracted truck driver’s to be on the road each day. Last night a truck driver was reaching onto the floor boards of his truck for something and left the roadway, crashed through a cable barrier, crossed the median, and drove into on coming freeway traffic causing a horrible Truck Accident. The 24 year old driver of a Kia Sephia crashed underneath the semi trailer pinning the Kia under the trailer.  The young driver of the kia was from Enumclaw and died at the scene of the truck accident.  The KOMO 4 TV report did not say how many hours the driver had been on the road so fatigue may not have been a factor, but the driver was definitely distracted.

The freeway was guarded by a cable barrier that failed to stop the truck from crossing into on coming traffic. Washington DOT claims that a cement barrier probably would not have stopped the truck either given the truck was doing the speed limit when it left the roadway. I wonder if this is really true?

If I recall correctly about six months ago there were several news stories about cable barriers failing to stop cars from crossing into on coming freeway traffic on a particular stretch of I-5 in Marysville, Washington. It seems to me that Washington DOT had better start re-evaluating whether cable barriers are doing the job needed. Perhaps if a cement barrier was in place – there would have been less chance of the truck crossing into on coming freeway traffic. Too many people are dying on Washington highways for this to be a coincidence.

A young man has been stolen from a family far too early. The family must come to grips with the wrongful death of their loved one. Let’s help stop this kind of tragedy and begin considering why cable barriers are still being used when they fail to do the job needed!

Source: KOMO TV 4