A crash on the New Jersey Turnpike resulted in death for one of the truckers involved when three semitrailers collided and caught fire the evening of Nov. 18. Although no charges or citations have been issued as of this report, a New Jersey State Police representative said the investigation is ongoing. The trucker who died in the crash was reportedly from Clayton, Delaware.
The accident happened near turnpike exit 8 at about 9:07 p.m. as a Kenworth truck driven by a 53-year-old man from Quebec, slowed behind traffic. A 45-year-old trucker in a Peterbilt tractor-trailer, allegedly not cognizant of the reduced traffic flow, rear-ended the Kenworth, according to police. A third truck, driven by the Delaware driver, slammed into the Kenworth, hit the guardrail, jackknifed and caught fire. The fire spread, and ultimately all three vehicles were engulfed.
The driver of the third truck, a Freightliner, was pronounced dead at the crash site. The other two drivers suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, according to officials, and were taken to a local Plainsboro hospital. There is no further word on their condition at this time.
Truckers have an obligation to exercise extra care and vigilance on the roads, and, due to their vehicle’s size and inability to stop quickly, neglecting this duty may result in significant truck accident injuries as in this case. If a trucker dies due to the negligence of another commercial driver, his or her family may suffer financial problems due to funeral costs and the loss of the victim’s support.
An attorney may review crash data to determine who was at fault. The attorney may file a wrongful death suit against the driver and possibly his or her employer for the family in an attempt to recover for their losses.
Source: The Cranbury Press, “Cranbury: Turnpike crash kills Delaware trucker”, Charles W. Kim, November 19, 2014