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The sheriff’s department in Lincoln County, Kentucky is investigating a bizarre crash on US 150 on May 12 that left a man dead and three injured.

The sheriff’s office reported that a truck pulling a camper was going eastbound on the highway when the camper got loose from the truck and flew into the westbound lanes. An SUV was hit head-on.

The sheriff reported that the SUV driver died at the scene, and a 10-month-old baby also suffered serious injuries. Two other people were hurt as well.

The sheriff noted that the SUV going westbound tried to take evasive action by driving onto the shoulder, but the camper was simply traveling too fast and there was nothing that could be done.

No one in the truck suffered any injuries. It is unknown if charges will be filed in this tragic truck accident.

Our View

This tragic truck accident is unusual but is not unprecedented. In 2013, a trailer came loose from a truck in New York and killed seven. Our personal injury attorneys licensed in Virginia and North Carolina would like to remind all drivers of the great importance of ensuring that their trailer or load they are pulling is completely secure.

Pulling a trailer safely requires the driver to carefully review all of the necessary equipment, including the hitch and signals.

First, before you start to drive, be sure that the trailer is safely connected with the hitch, and that the brake lights and signals are fully functioning. 

If you have a regular ball hitch, the tongue on the trailer needs to be attached to the vehicle hitch securely. The locking mechanism should be snapped and the lock pin needs to be in place. If the hitch is not secure, as we have seen above, absolute disaster can unfold while your vehicle is in motion.

All trailer connections also should have two chains connected to the trailer in a criss-cross shape as a backup. That way, if the hitch were to fail, the trailer will not get loose.

You should check the hitch connection by pulling up hard on the trailer and try to pull it off. You should not be able to do so.

After you are positive that the trailer is hitched securely, you should then check that the brake lights work correctly. Connect the electrical wires going from the trailer to the car or truck hauling the load. If you do not have another person available to tell you if the lights are working when you turn on the signal or hit the brakes, you should use the reflection off of another vehicle or a window or mirror.

If you fail to ensure that the trailer is attached, it can become loose during travel and injure or kill an innocent person, as in the above tragic accident. This can lead to a wrongful death lawsuit and millions of dollars in damages. 

 

 

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