Interstate 40 Closed Down Following Large Truck Crash

DAVIE COUNTY, NC- Wxii12.com writes that a tractor-trailer accident occurred this week in Davie County, the collision shut down one lane of Interstate 40 in the very early morning. The crash caused delays for eastbound drivers during the morning commute.*

The truck driver and a passenger in the vehicle were both injured in the wreck. Reports indicate that the semi collided with a North Carolina Department of Transportation truck. Deadly large truck accidents increased last year even while other types of vehicle occupant deaths lowered. Truck drivers are less likely to die in crashes than people in other vehicles involved in collisions with trucks. In fact, more than 60 percent of people killed in large truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that vehicle technology is becoming better at avoiding crashes and helping lower the number of people killed in collisions. The same types of systems are being included in newer truck models as well and could prove capable of lowering these accidents as well. Thus far, there is not enough evidence to indicate whether these systems are effective for large tractor-trailers. 

Drivers operating these massive vehicles may be on the road for eleven hours at a time. Safety technology may help with some driver fatigue issues related to inattentiveness. The risk of truck crashes increases drastically after a driver has spent eight hours behind the wheel. Meanwhile, several states are now allowing companies to introduce driverless trucks. Some in the long-haul trucking industry are beginning to worry that these vehicles may pish many truck drivers out of work.

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:https://www.wxii12.com/article/interstate-40-davie-county-tractor-trailer-crash/30711478 and https://www.iihs.org/topics/large-trucks and https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/roadway-fatalities-2018-fars and https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/waymos-autonomous-trucks-texas-jobs-safety/