Two adults and two children died in a fiery head on crash with a tractor trailer on I-77 in Camp Creek, West Virginia. The deadly wreck occurred on the evening of April 13.
Mercer County, West Virginia Emergency Services Director Tim Farley stated that the four victims were from North Carolina. Their minivan was hit head on by a tractor trailer after it crossed the median near the Camp Creek exit on I-77.
The state police stated that it appeared that the big rig was going southbound, and for some reason the driver lost control and ran through the median into the northbound lanes.
The tractor trailer was hauling canned food and flipped over after the crash, then burst into flames. The fire also set a nearby forest aflame.
The truck driver’s life was likely spared when the cab compartment on his rig broke loose from the chassis. The cab was thrown 75 feet away from the burning truck wreck. While he did escape the fire, he was seriously injured.
The West Virginia State Police are still investigating the crash. It is estimated that the children who died were from 10-15 years old. This was confirmed by a Salisbury, North Carolina newspaper report that stated the four who died were a young family with two children who were approximately seven and ten years old.
Our View
It is too early in the investigation of this fatal West Virginia truck crash to say what the cause was. It is very likely that the truck driver may have been distracted by something or possibly fell asleep. The NHTSA reports that 3477 people died in distracted driving crashes in 2015.
Distracted driving is a terrible problem that kills far too many people each year. With massive tractor trailers, distracted driving can result in even more devastating accidents.
The NHTSA also reports that at least 660,000 drivers are using their cell phones while driving every day. This creates a huge potential for terrible car and truck accidents. Our personal injury and wrongful death attorneys in Virginia would like to remind all drivers to always focus their attention on driving, and not on cell phones and other distractions.
Anyone who has suffered serious injury or had a loved one die in a tractor trailer accident should consider their legal options. Many decide to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the truck driver and the trucking company. Loved ones left behind face both emotional and financial devastation. A wrongful death lawsuit settlement can be in the millions of dollars, and can at least help the family get through the disaster without losing their home and other financial problems.
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