A motorist died tragically yesterday morning when his vehicle collided with a disabled 18-wheeler along the Katy Freeway in Houston, Texas.
18-Wheeler Became Disabled in Moving Freeway Lane
The June 17th crash occurred around 5:45 a.m. in the westbound lanes at Barker Cypress.
According to the Houston Police Department Vehicular Crime Unit, the tractor-trailer driver was headed west on the Katy Freeway when the 18-wheeler experienced mechanical issues and became disabled in a moving lane of the highway.
The driver of a Chevy Equinox SUV could not stop in time and collided with the rear of the trailer. The SUV then spun out and struck a concrete barrier.
Chevy Equinox Driver Was Ejected from Vehicle
The 41-year-old man driving the Chevy Equinox was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Authorities have not released his identity.
The main lanes of the freeway were shut down for more than three hours as crews worked to gather evidence and clear the debris. While traffic was diverted onto Eldridge Road, delays grew quickly due to heavy congestion on the feeder road.
The fatal accident remains under investigation.
Mechanical Failure Often Contributes to Big Truck Accidents
Although driver error and reckless driving are leading causes of truck and 18-wheeler accidents, mechanical failure is also a major contributor to these dangerous crashes.
In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, more than half of the big rigs involved in accidents had at least one mechanical failure at the time of the crash. In many cases, those trucks were in such poor operational condition, they shouldn’t have even been on the road in the first place.
Issues affecting a truck’s braking system and lighting systems were the most frequently noted mechanical failures after a crash.
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