A trucking accident in Tennessee in Blount County, on “The Dragon,” turned deadly earlier this week. The fatal accident happened on Highway 129, near the North Carolina state line, according to WBIR 10.
The accident happened when the tractor-trailer, traveling near mile marker 5, crossed over the center line while taking a curve, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The motorcycle and the driver slid under the truck and were run over by its wheels. Officials took the rider to Blount Memorial. Officials say that the motorcyclist was alive and talking at the scene of the accident, but he later died on his way to the hospital. Charges for the incident are pending.
Our Knoxville trucking accident attorneys often emphasize the dangers of traffic accidents that involve a tractor-trailer. Occupants of smaller vehicles are more likely to sustain serious injuries, if not death, during an accident with a big rig. But add a motorcycle in the mix and there’s bound to be catastrophic results. Motorists are urged to use extra caution around these large vehicles to help prevent a serious accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were roughly 380,000 large trucks involved in traffic accidents in the United States in 2008. A large truck is defined as a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more. More than 4,000 trucks were involved in deadly accidents during that same year. A total of 4,229 people were killed in these accidents, accounting for more than 10 percent of all of the traffic fatalities reported in 2008. Another 90,000 were injured in these accidents. In 2008, Tennessee witnessed nearly 100 fatal trucking accidents.
Also in 2008, the United States witnessed nearly 5,500 motorcyclist deaths. This is a number that illustrates a 2 percent increase from the previous year. They accounted for 14 percent of the total number of traffic fatalities for that year. In 2008, 14 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents involved light trucks. Another 4 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents involved a heavy truck. That same year counted for the 11th consecutive year that there has been an increase in motorcycle accident deaths.
The NHTSA offers these safety tips to help keep motorcyclists safe when traveling among large trucks:
-Do not tailgate.
-Don’t linger in front of a large truck.
-Avoid riding between lanes of slow moving or stopped traffic.
-Know and obey traffic all laws, including specific ordinances in your community.
-Use signals when appropriate.
-Remember to always drive defensively.
-Check your rear view mirrors before changing lanes or stopping. Making a quick stop without checking the traffic behind you can result in a rear-end crash.
-Make sure you can always see the eyes of a truck driver. If you can’t see them, they’re unable to see you.
-Don’t travel next to a truck. Play it safe and pass when needed. Don’t linger.
-Don’t pass a truck taking a turn. They typically swing wide turns.
If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a trucking or car accident in Tennessee, contact Hartsoe Law Firm, P.C. for a confidential appointment to discuss your rights with our Knoxville injury lawyers and Maryville accident attorneys. Call (877) 472-5657.
More Blog Entries:
Stranded Motorist Killed by Tractor-Trailer in Tennessee Trucking Accident, Tennessee Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, July 27, 2011
Tennessee Trucking Accident Illustrates Summer Dangers, Tennessee Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, July 11, 2011