Recent Truck Accidents in Houston

Houston – just like every metropolitan city with heavy traffic – experiences serious truck accidents every day. Truck drivers have limited visibility and require greater stopping distance to avoid a collision. Here are just a few of the fatal accidents involving trucks that have occurred in and around the Houston area in recent years:

On April 6, 2014, Willie James Johnson, Jr. was operating his big rig without a trailer. He ran a red light and collided with a Chevrolet Tahoe. The driver of the Tahoe – a father of four – was pronounced dead at the hospital. Johnson was found to be intoxicated at the time of the accident.
The driver of an eighteen-wheel truck became distracted by something in his cab while driving in rush hour traffic on Highway 290. He crushed the back of the Kia Optima ahead of him, which killed the young boy riding in the back seat.
On December 21, 2016, the driver of a truck carrying alcohol lost control of his vehicle on an elevated overpass of the U.S. 59. The truck fell from the overpass and landed on the Eastex Freeway below. The truck caught fire and the driver died at the scene.
On March 29, 2017, thirteen people were killed when a church bus collided with a pickup truck. The pickup truck driver (only twenty years old) had been driving erratically prior to the collision. There were even emergency calls made about his driving prior to the accident. Later, the driver admitted to being under the influence of prescription medications, and also being distracted by his smart phone prior to the accident.

What Can Passenger Vehicles Drivers Do To Stay Safe?

There are some common themes in these tragic accidents, which can help drivers stay safe in the future:

Distracted driving can have fatal consequences. Always be aware of your surroundings.
Make sure to leave plenty of distance between your vehicle and any commercial trucks. Trucks are heavier than passenger vehicles, and thus require greater distance to stop.
Truck drivers have decreased visibility. You should make extra efforts to be seen by truck drivers when necessary.