Truck accident in Dallas takes life of 70-year-old man

Dallas North Tollway turned out to be fatal for a 70-year-old man this past Friday. The man was heading northbound on the DNT when he ran into an unusual item. It was a drilling arm from a well drilling rig. The drilling arm was hanging in front of him in his traffic lane. The man ran right into the drilling arm, and was found dead at the scene.

The drilling arm hanging into the northbound lanes was the result of a blowout on a triple-axle truck with a well drilling rig attached on the back. The driver of the truck was heading southbound when his tire blew out. He was traveling in the center lane, but the blowout caused him to pull over into the left lane. The drilling rig shifted, causing the arm to swing out and hang over into the northbound lanes, according to a Department of Public Safety sergeant. Unfortunately, it became a target for the now-deceased driver heading northbound. The driver of the rig was uninjured.

When large truck accidents occur, fatalities and major injuries or damages are usually the result. Accidents occur for a number of reasons, and some are just that — unavoidable “accidents.” But many are caused by other reasons, such as: negligence, recklessness, drunk driving, inattentiveness, fatigue and equipment failure. Trucking companies must ensure that they have done everything they can to see that both their trucks and drivers are safe when on the road.

When commercial vehicle accidents occur, and the driver or the vehicle is found to be responsible, victims or family members of a deceased victim may be able to hold the driver, owner or company liable in a court of law. Compensation for medical bills, loss of life and other expenses may be awarded them for their pain and suffering.

Source: KXAS, “Accident Shut Down Dallas North Tollway for Hours,” June 22, 2014