CLARKSVILLE, MD — Vernon Thompson was rushed to the hospital following a tractor-trailer accident that happened in Clarksville, Maryland on Saturday, October 11th, 2014. The article released by WUSA-9 said that the accident happened around 6:24 Saturday morning.
60-year-old Vernon Thompson was hurt when the pickup truck he was driving was hit by a tractor-trailer in the 4400 block of Highway 32. Maryland State Police said that they think the accident happened when the southbound tractor-trailer left the road and jackknifed into the northbound lanes when the truck hit Thompson’s pickup.
EMS took Thompson to the hospital where a spokesperson last listed him in serious condition.
Commentary:
Have you ever heard of a vehicle that was driving at a speed that was safe for conditions simply rolling over, or losing control on a highway? I’ve been studying commercial vehicle and tractor-trailer accidents just like this one for 25 years, and I’ve never come across one. Now, it doesn’t really matter what the posted speed limit was for the stretch of road where the accident took place, because speed should always be adjusted for conditions like lighting, weather, and the type of vehicle that is being driven in the conditions. Should a 4,000lb car and an 80,000lb tractor-trailer really be going the same posted speed limit in the pouring rain, or they both adjust their speed accordingly? If the truck driver was simply going too fast into a curve when it lost control, should the trucking company be let off the hook for this? If their drivers are trained professionals, what are they trained in if it is not tailoring a trucks speed to match road conditions?
–Grossman Law Offices
