Update [June 13, 2014]: The name of the trucker who was killed was Joao Daponta, 59, and you can read an updated version of this post by clicking here.
NEW YORK CITY, NY –– At least one person has died after two tractor-trailers collided in New York City, New York on Thursday, June 12th, 2014, according to a news article from NJ Online.
New York Police have said that they think one person died after a tractor-trailer collided with another tractor-trailer while driving on the upper deck of the George Washington Bridge around 2:00 Thursday morning. The news reports are lacking in details, but from the pictures, it looks like it was a rear-end collision.
Scene of the Accident
One of the truck drivers was pronounced dead after the accident. The other truck driver was rushed to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.
The New York State Police is leading the investigation into the accident at this time.
Commentary:
The pictures from the accident seem to indicate that the accident was a rear-end, which could tell us quite a few things about what may have transpired. In any rear end accident, I see one of three things happening. Either the driver was speeding, or following too closely, and did not have the distance they needed to stop the truck, or at least slow it to the point where the collision was avoidable. Another option is the driver was distracted by the one of many possible devices mounted in the truck. Be it GPS, a cell phone, an ipad, or the radio, truck drivers actually have more tempting distractions than your average commuter. Lastly, the truck could have had a brake failure. These trucks and the systems in them to stop and maneuver are much more complex and have harder lifespans than their smaller, civilian car brethren, which could lead to serious mechanical problems. In any of these cases, the trucking company behind the rear driver could be responsible for the accident.
–Grossman Law Offices
