Ryanul Haque, of Tracy, Died In Tractor Trailer Truck Accident On The Interstate 5 Freeway Near Westley
WESTLEY, CALIFORNIA (August 6, 2022) – A 26-year-old man identified as Ryanul Haque died in a semi-truck accident on Interstate 5 near Westley.
Stanislaus County officials are saying that the collision took place around 1:15 a.m. on Thursday morning. Ryanul Haque was in a disabled 2007 Lexus ES 350 in the righthand lanes of the freeway.
A 2020 Freightliner Cascadia truck rear-ended the Lexus causing the victim to sustain major injuries. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim.
Sadly, Ryanul Haque was beyond medical aid and pronounced dead at the scene by personnel from Patterson Ambulance.
The driver of the semi-truck remained at the scene and cooperated with police. A full investigation into the crash remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Westley Semi-Truck Accidents
Thousands of people are killed or seriously injured in semi-truck accidents every year. According to the National Safety Council, “In 2020, 4,842 large trucks were involved in a fatal crash, a 4% decrease from 2019 but still a 33% increase since 2011. The involvement rate per 100 million large-truck miles traveled is down 5% from 2019, but up 18% since 2011.” There are a number of factors that make semi-trucks particularly dangerous to people in passenger vehicles.
- A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh 80,000 lbs. Even a low impact collision can be catastrophic.
- A semi-truck traveling at 65 mph can take the length of two football fields to come to a stop.
- Semi-trucks have a high ground clearance thereby making underride collisions with smaller vehicles more likely.
Fatigue, in particular, is one of the leading causes of truck accidents in the United States. Nearly 10% of truck drivers involved in a fatal collision reported feeling under pressure from work. Truck companies make more money when their drivers are able to consistently complete their routes on schedule. There is a clear incentive for truck companies to push drivers to complete routes as quickly as possible even when this may not be safe. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that staying awake for only 18 hours reduces a person’s ability to drive safely equivalent to driving with a BAC of 0.05%.
All truck drivers must exercise due care in order to avoid causing accidents. This includes maintaining a safe distance with the vehicles ahead of them. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 22350, no person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed greater than what would be safe or prudent given the prevailing conditions of the roadway. Driving the speed limit could very well be dangerous at night or during periods of reduced visibility. There is a rebuttable presumption of negligence on the part of any driver that rear-ends another vehicle.
On certain occasions, liability for a truck accident could extend beyond the at-fault driver. For example, the company that loaded a semi-truck could potentially be held at fault. Semi-trucks have max carrying capacities. If this number is exceeded, it can put undo wear on the brakes. It can also cause a truck to take much longer to stop. In fact, around 5% of all truck accidents in the United States are due to overloading. There are a number of steps that should be taken after a semi-truck accident.
- Photos of the accident site should be taken.
- The truck’s event data recorder (EDR) should be examined.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- The truck driver’s logbook should be examined.
The family of any person that is killed in a California truck accident may have recourse through California Civil Code 377.60. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Unfortunately, truck companies will often fight hard to deny liability for any collision. This is why it is so important that all relevant evidence is properly collected and preserved.
Investigating A Westley Semi-Truck Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our deepest condolences to the family of Ryanul Haque. Any person that may have more information about what took place should reach out to police. This was a preventable tragedy that should have never taken place. There are so many questions that need to be answered. Was the truck driver involved in this crash properly licensed? Were they scanning the road ahead of them? Did they have logbook violations?
Do you need more information about a Westley semi-truck accident? Our team of consumer safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that negligent drivers are held accountable for their actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
