Accidents involving trucks are more likely to cause serious injuries due to the larger size of these vehicles. Truck accidents are not uncommon on the heavily traveled Pennsylvania Turnpike, especially during the winter. The following account describes one of a series of accidents that occurred on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just recently.
Pennsylvania State Police have reported that a 30-year-old Philadelphia man jackknifed his tractor-trailer on Interstate 78 in Bethlehem on December 27 at about 2:30 p.m. He was driving in the right lane when a blue Nissan traveling in the left lane suddenly swerved into the right lane, possibly as a result of a collision with another vehicle.
The Philadelphia man swerved to the right to avoid the Nissan and lost control of his tractor-trailer, which struck the concrete barrier on an overpass. The front half of the tractor-trailer ran over the barrier, suspending the tractor-trailer over a park in Bethlehem.
Motorists who saw the wreck freed the driver, and he was transported to St. Luke’s University Hospital, where he was treated for minor to moderate injuries. State police said they are looking for anyone who witnessed the crash.
Victims of a motor vehicle accident will need to learn more about personal injury law in order to collect damages. A personal injury claim may lead to compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and emotional trauma.
Source: The Express-Times, “Man checking on crash fatally hit by SUV; truck wreck over I-78 bridge barrier detailed – UPDATE,” Tony Rhodin, Dec. 27, 2012