Truck Accident News

In Jefferson, Maryland, 17-year-old Kaitlyn Wilson died early this morning from injuries she sustained in a two-vehicle crash with a Maryland State Highway Administration dump truck. The driver of the Honda Civic that Wilson was riding in is alive, but listed in serious condition.

The deadly truck accident occurred at the intersection of Holter Road and Md. 180. According to Maryland State Police, the Civic was headed north on Holter Road while the truck was moving east on Md. 180 at a constant speed. The two-vehicle crash occurred at the intersection.

According to Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company Chief Jimmy Lakin, the truck had landed on top of the truck. Firefighters had to cut two of the accident victims from the wreckage.

Wilson and the driver of the Honda were flown to Baltimore and treated at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. The truck driver and his passenger were taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital, where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries and later released.

According to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Study:

• Dump trucks are involved in 16% of large truck accidents.
• Van trucks are involved in 46% of large truck crashes.

• 15% of large truck collisions involve flatbed trucks.

Dump trucks are extremely large trucks that can cause serious injuries to victims during motor vehicle collisions. In many cases, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and the occupants of passenger cars are the ones more likely to get hurt than the occupants of large trucks when these traffic accidents occur.

If you have been injured in a large truck crash, it is important that you seek medical help right away. In certain instances, symptoms of internal injuries may not reveal themselves until later.

Teen identified in fatal crash as Middletown High student, Frederick News, November 6, 2008
One Victim Dies in Hospital, Driver Still In Serious Condition, Your4State.com, November 6, 2008
Related Web Resource:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Out of the 849 vehicles that were involved in deadly traffic collisions in Maryland last year, 63 of those motor vehicles were large trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released these latest figures as part of its 2007 Traffic Safety Facts on large trucks. A large truck, according to the data, is a gross vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds.

More 2007 Facts on Large Truck Accidents in the United States:

• 413,000 large trucks were involved in US traffic collisions.
• 4,808 people died in large truck crashes.
• 101,000 people were injured in large truck crashes.
• 1 out of every 9 traffic deaths in the US involved a collision with a large truck.
• 75% (3,601) of the fatalities were passengers in other motor vehicles involved in collisions with large trucks.
• 8% (405) of the people that died in large truck accidents were not riding in any vehicles at the time of the crash.
• 17% (802) of the people that died in large truck accidents had been riding in trucks when the deadly crash occurred.
• 75% (75,000) of injury victims involved in large truck crashes were occupants of other vehicles.
• 23% (23,000) of the injury victims were large truck occupants.
• 2% (2,000) of the injury victims were not riding in any vehicles at the time the large truck crash occurred.
• Large trucks have a greater chance of becoming involved in a deadly multi-vehicle collision than passenger vehicles.
• 1% of large truck drivers involved in deadly crashes had a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or greater at the time of the accident.
• 23% of passenger car drivers, 23% of light truck drivers, and 27% of motorcyclists involved in deadly auto crashes recorded BAC’s of 08% or greater.
• Almost 24% of the large truck drivers involved in deadly crashes had at least one prior conviction for speeding.

• 19% of passenger car drivers involved in deadly crashes had prior speeding convictions.

2007 Large Trucks Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, NHTSA

Related Web Resources:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Maryland Department of Transportation

Articles Posted in Truck Accident News

Maryland State Highway Truck Accident Leaves One Teen Dead and Another Victim with Serious Injuries

NHTSA Reports 63 Deadly Large Truck Accidents in Maryland in 2007