Multiple People Injured In Sacramento County Semi-Truck Accident Involving Minivan Along Highway 12 Not Far From Rio Vista
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (June 10, 2022) – At least five people were injured in a semi-truck accident involving a minivan and three other vehicles on Highway 12.
Sacramento County police officials are saying that the accident took place around 2:00 p.m. on Friday. A semi-truck hauling vehicles failed to slow for traffic and collided with the rear of a white minivan.
The semi-truck kept going after the initial crash and hit two other cars headed west before going down an embankment. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help all of the victims.
The driver of the minivan was injured along with four other people. A full investigation into the crash remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Sacramento County Semi-Truck Accidents
Semi-truck collisions are quite common and lead to around 4,000 traffic fatalities every year in the United States. Tens of thousands more are seriously injured and require hospitalization. Driving a semi-truck is substantially much more difficult than driving a passenger vehicle. It takes a different set of skills and experience. What follows are just a few of the ways that driving a semi-truck can be quite challenging to drive safely.
- A fully loaded commercial truck traveling at freeway speeds can take the length of two football fields to come to a complete stop.
- Semi-trucks have a wide turning radius thereby making side-impact collisions more likely.
- Semi-trucks have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of smaller vehicles. This is why people are always taught to never hang out on the sides of a truck.
Truck drivers will typically need a commercial driver’s license and a held to a high standard in terms of safety. They have gone through extensive training to be able to handle their vehicle safely. However, many truck drivers fail to slow for traffic. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21703, the driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than would be safe or reasonable given the prevailing conditions of the roadway. Rear-end collisions are nearly always due to drivers that are speeding, distracted or following the lead vehicle too closely.
If the driver of a semi-truck was working at the time of a collision, their employer could potentially be held at fault. Generally speaking, employers are liable for the wrongful acts of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a truck driver may have been delivering vehicles for a company at the time of a collision. Victims of semi-truck accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries including.
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Organ damage
The FMCSA requires commercial trucks to carry between $750,000 – $5,000,000 worth of liability coverage. Any person that is injured due to the negligence of a semi-truck driver may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. A truck accident attorney can examine all of the facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are. There are, however, statute of limitations that must be observed in order to pursue a civil claim.
Investigating A Sacramento County Semi-Truck Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to all of the victims of this crash. This was a highly preventable collision that should not have taken place. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the Sacramento County CHP.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Sacramento County semi-truck accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of consumer safety advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need help after a collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
