Alabama Injury Attorneys Blog

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a fatal school bus accident involving two school buses and an 18-wheeler.

The school buses were reportedly headed to Six Flags on Thursday morning carrying a busload of girls in one vehicle and a busload of boys in the second. The 4 car crash killed 2 and injured 50. One of the victims killed was 15-year-old Jessica Brinker, a passenger in the school bus, while the other victim was 19-year-old Daniel Schatz. A total of eight victims were taken to the hospital by ambulance.

According to police, Schatz's pick-up truck ran into the back of a Volvo semi truck, which had slowed for road construction. The driver of the first bus was not able to stop in time and rear-end the Volvo tractor-trailer. The second school bus then crashed into the back of the first creating a domino effect.

The initial police report stated that the 75-year-old driver of the first school bus was "inattentive" and the 38-year-old second driver was following too closely. However, Franklin County Prosecutor Bob Parks said he would not decide on the charges until he gets the final police report.

The NTSB is also examining whether seat belts on the bus would have helped.

Continue reading "School Buses and Tractor-Trailer Collide Killing Two People" »

An 18-wheeler logging truck and CSX train collided this morning in Thorsby, Alabama. The accident occurred around 10:00 a.m. and shut down U.S. 31 for several hours.

According to Throsby Firefighter Lance Hilyer, the truck stalled in the middle of the intersection on U.S. 31 and Chilton County Road 623. The 18-wheeler driver reportedly jumped out of the logging truck when he saw the train approaching.

All local law enforcement, Thorsby fire and police, and crews from CSX Railroad responded to the accident scene. No one was injured in the train and truck accident.

The driver of the 18-wheeler logging truck was said to be a private contractor. According to an article from the Clanton Advertiser, this is the second CSX railroad and trucking accident in a five week period.

Continue reading "Alabama Train-Trucking Accident Shuts down Hwy 31" »

The crash and burn investigation of the Alabama 18-wheeler that killed a 10 person family and took the life of an Alabama tractor trailer driver is now underway on Interstate 65.

According to Kentucky's State Trooper, Charles Swiney, "The [tractor-trailer] was completely loaded with brake drums for other tractor-trailers, so it was a very heavy vehicle. And just due to the size and magnitude of that tractor-trailer, and with it being fully loaded, the [cable] barriers weren't effective with this incident."

The cable barriers along Kentucky's interstate were said to exceed the federal highway administrations guidelines for safety and strength. They are able to withstand an enormous amount of impact and strength. However, the barriers were not meant to stop a fully loaded 18-wheeler.

This is the first fatality of its kind since the cable barriers were installed. Due to the large number of fatalities, the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), an organization that only investigates about 10 accidents annually, has begun investigating the crash.

According to the vice-chairman of the NTSB, Christopher Hart, they will thoroughly scrutinize the Alabama tractor trailer driver, and survey his last 72 hours, his rest-work schedule, and what distractions he had the two weeks prior to the accident.

According to Hart, every seat in the 15- passenger Mennonite family van was equipped with seat belts.

The NTSB has stated it may take them up to a year to conclude what happened to cause the deadly accident. They will conduct interviews of other travelers and truck drivers, review the design of the highway and traffic count, but no one should expect quick answers.

Continue reading "18-Wheeler Crash and Burn Prompts National Transportation and Safety Board Investigation" »

It has been called "The worst highway crash since May 14, 1988, when 27 children were killed in a church bus crash." On March 27, a family of Mennonites from south Kentucky was killed in an 11 person trucking accident with an out of control 18-wheeler on Interstate 65 (I-65).

The Esh family was traveling to a wedding in Iowa, when their 15-passenger van was struck head-on by an 18-wheeler in route to Alabama. The truck driver, later identified as Ken Laymon, was carrying a fully load tractor-trailer rig full of brake drums when he accidentally lost control of his 18-wheeler, crossed the median, hit the 10-person family, then hit a rock wall and burst into flames.

Mennonites, who share many of the same beliefs concerning baptism and basic Bible doctrines, as the Amish and can trace their roots back to the same Anabaptist movement. However, they differ in their dress, language, worship and interpretation of the Bible.

Among those killed in the wreck were John Esh, a Mennonite church minister and his wife, Sadie were killed, along with 4 of the couples 12 children, Rose, Anna, Rachel and Leroy. Naomi Esh, Leroy's wife, was killed along with their 2-month old son, Jalen. However, their other two sons, Johnny and Josiah, were the only two survivors.

Joel Gingrich, Rachel Esh's fiancé, and their family friend, Ashley Kramer were also killed.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, operated by Hester Inc, from Fayette, Alabama, was also killed in the horrible crash.

Evidently the Alabama tractor trailer was burned beyond recognition after it hit the rock wall. According the coroner, Ken Laymon, that driver of the 18-wheeler had to be identified by dental records due to the severity of the accident. Investigations are now underway as to the state of mind of Laymon leading up to the horrible accident. Laymon had 20 years on-the-job experience has an 18-wheeler driver.

Motor Vehicle accidents occur every day in Alabama. Often the cause of the accident is clear, such as poor driving conditions, drunk drivers, driver negligence, texting or using cell phones, etc. The list seems endless. However, often enough, one of the leading causes of accidents is due to the vehicle's "blind spot." The blind spot is an area directly out of view near the rear of the vehicle. All vehicles have blind spots including, cars, motorcycles and especially 18-wheeler trucks. A Blind Spot accident typically occurs when merging in and out of traffic, or changing lanes in front of a closely tailing vehicle.

Tractor trailers are one of the leading causes of blind spot accidents, mainly due to the sheer size of the vehicle. Some drivers mistakenly believe 18-wheeler truck drivers have a better view because they are high off the ground. When in all actuality, truck drivers pose a major threat to other motorist because of their lack of visibility. Blind spot accidents can potentially effect 18-wheelers and other motorist, especially when they are traveling down congested Alabama highways such as Interstate 20/59 (I-59) and Interstate 65 (I-65).

While many Birmingham accidents can be preventable, blind spot accidents tend to be negligent.

The following are some tips on how to avoid an accident caused by blind spots:
• Always check your rear-view mirror and side mirrors before changing lanes
• Always pay attention to the traffic around you
• You should avoid hand held cell phone usage when operating a vehicle. While cell phone usage can cause accidents motorist are more likely to neglect blind spots when talking on a phone
• When merging into a lane always double check to make sure a car is not beside you

Remember: To avoid potential accidents with 18-wheelers, drivers should be aware of the "no-zone" driving laws around the front, side and rear of tractor trailers and 18-wheelers. These are areas around 18-wheelers where smaller vehicles should not travel next to large vehicles.

Continue reading "Know Your Blind Spots and Prevent Accidents" »

Alabama Auto Salesman, Ken Stephens, could have easily been injured or killed had he been at work at his automobile business on Thursday.

Yesterday, an 18-wheeler from Alabama based Mills Trucking Company rounded a curve on Alabama Highway 331 North and spilled every bit of its 12,000lb load. The truck driver was carrying around 60 wooden beams weighing an average of 200lbs each. When the 18- wheeler rounded the curve, about 40 of the beams dumped out smashing into Stephen's sales building, Panola Auto Sales. The beams severally damaged Panola Auto Sales physical building and all of Stephen's vehicles on the lot.

While Mr. Stephens was not at work, his detail man Gerald McGraw was. McGraw was reaching for the front door trying to exit the building, when all 40 beams barreled through the building. Luckily, McGraw was not injured and able to crawl out from the building. He has suffered a few bumps and bruises and a very sore back.

The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured from the accident and has declined to comment on the accident. Early reports indicated that the truck driver was not speeding on the 55 mph highway, but County Investigators say they would like to see this speed limit reduced to lower the possibility of potential crashes and fatalities.

Alabama highways can be extremely hazardous for motor vehicle drivers and 18-wheelers. Alabama accidents happen frequently and easily on rural roads and highways. In 2008, Alabama crash statistics indicated there were almost 1000 fatalities in the State of Alabama alone.

Continue reading "Alabama 18- Wheeler Accident Could Have Been Deadly " »

An Alabama woman was killed early Monday morning when a pick up truck struck her vehicle. Damita Shante Pinkey Law of Whatley, Alabama was 47 years old and pronounced dead at the accident scene on the U.S. Hwy 84.

Alabama State Troopers arrested Ezekiel Alexander Lewis, the pick-up truck driver, on charges of driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident. More charges are likely to follow and especially since it is believed that speeding caused the accident.

The same weekend, a Mobile woman was killed in Lowndes County in a motor vehicle crash. The accident was believed to have been caused by a cell phone distraction. The victim was 19 years old and killed in a 2-vehicle crash with an 18-wheeler on Interstate 65.

According to reports, it is believed that the Alabama teenager may have been texting or using her cell phone at the time of the accident, when she crossed the median in her 2003 Oldsmobile and struck an 18-wheeler driving in the oncoming lane. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured in the accident.

Continue reading "Alabama Trucking Accidents Kill Two" »

Effective immediately, the Federal Government has imposed a ban on texting for all commercial truck and bus drivers. The new law goes into effect immediately and bans all truck and bus drivers operating vehicles over 10,000 pounds to text while driving. The law is designed to cut down on driving distractions in order to protect other motor vehicles on the road, and hopefully limit the amount of accidents caused by texting.

In 2008, trucking accidents resulted in almost 6000 deaths and caused over 500,000 injuries in the U.S. Officials say a driver who is distracted by texting is more likely to cause an accident than a person who is caught driving while under the influence of alcohol. Supporters of the new law say distracted drivers cause thousands of accidents and injuries every year resulting in millions of dollars worth of damages.

Truck drivers and commercial vehicle drivers caught texting are subject to a $2700 fine and potential civil and criminal charges. Currently 19 states have banned texting while driving. Alabama has yet to pass the bill on texting.

However, enforcing the law seems like a very difficult task, especially considering the size and speed of these 18-wheelers. The belief is most bus and truck drivers will be afraid of tickets or the possibility of loosing their commercial driver's license and refrain from texting while operating a bus or 18-wheeler.

Continue reading "Trucking Accidents Likely to Decrease with Federal Ban on Texting" »