Big Rig Accident Round-Up

October was a horrible, nightmarish month when it came to fatal big rig crashes in California. The fiery Santa Clarita multi-big rig crash topped all others as the most horrific one, killing three people and injuring more than a dozen people. Then, there was the most recent one last week when a speeding big rig driver slammed into two cars on Pacific Coast Highway. Two people died in that crash.

Here is a list of truck and big rig accidents this month from around the country although an overwhelming majority of recent truck accidents seemed to be in California:

Fiery Westchester Crash: One person was killed in this explosive crash this morning that snarled traffic for miles during the morning rush hour. It blocked several lanes on the 405 Freeway in Westchester near LAX. The driver of the truck reportedly died in the crash. No other fatalities or injuries were reported.

Houston truck versus train crash: A train crashed into a semi-tractor trailer leaving one person dead on Houston’s Highway 90. Officials say the big rig was on the tracks when the train slammed into it.

Long Beach big rig accident: An accident involving a big rig and two cars closed the eastbound lanes of the Gerald Desmond Bridge on Oct. 17. The semi’s oil pan was reportedly punctured, spilling the grimy stuff all over the roadway. Crews spent hours cleaning it up.

101 big rig crash: A big rig, garbage truck and a two-passenger car were involved in an accident the morning of Oct. 17 on Highway 101 in South San Francisco snarling traffic for hours. The driver of the big rig was critically injured.

Fatal Oakland crash: The driver of a big rig suffered fatal injuries in a crash on the Interstate 80 in an early morning crash. The accident reportedly occurred on an interchange ramp. The driver was trapped in the cab, which was hanging over the edge of the ramp and had to be pulled back to the roadway.

K Carmer says:

December 31, 1969 at 6:00 pm

What can we as citizens of the State of California do when we see a Semi-Truck driver on a cell phone? I cannot tell you how many times I get so frustrated at a trucker who is disobeying the law and when I get even with the cab to see the driver yacking on a cell phone. Cement trucks, box vans, etc. We had our motorhome sideswiped on Hwy 40 heading for Arizona a while back and sure enough, the trucker WAS on a cell phone. Who regulates this and WHO can we call???

V Holden says:

I am very concerned about truck drivers. I feel my life was in danger earlier this morning. Because I pulled into the middle lane between 2 trucks and there was plenty of room. I had my blinker on to do so. But as I started to go into the lane, the truck driver from behind sped up. He didn’t like I had done that and proceeded to go into the right lane. As he came along side me, he swerved into my lane a couple of times. I thought that was the end of it. However, about a mile and a half later as I was going off the highway, both trucks tried to squeeze me out of the lane. Mind you, they were not in the same lane as I was and they were going on down the highway i the left lane. I have never encountered that but if I did not have my wits about me, I could have swerved into the blockade along the side or into another car. One of those “professional” drivers could have made a mistake in their scare tactics. Several people could have been injured or killed by this kind of action. Unfortunately, I was shaken up enough I am not sure of the name of the trucking company. To put innocent people’s lives in danger (including theirs) is extremely immature and dangerous. Yes, something should be done.