Trucks crash into buildings across Northeast Pennsylvania
Many drivers find that sharing the road with large trucks can be nerve-wracking. But, most people never expect a tractor trailer to come hurtling into their dining rooms. What might sound like a freak-accident has actually occurred several times in the last few weeks in our region. This week, local news outlets reported multiple incidents involving large trucks crashing into people’s homes, and one crashing into a beloved local restaurant.
Two of the victims in two separate crashes said they initially mistook the impact of the truck for an earthquake
In Luzerne County, a garbage truck spun out of control on an icy road and slammed into a house in Dallas, pushing the building off of its foundation. The house was deemed uninhabitable and was condemned. Neighbors and community members have reached out to help the woman who lived there, as she is expecting her second child in three weeks. Earlier the same week, a tractor trailer crashed into a home in Shamokin, Northumberland County. Neighbors say that tractor trailers often get stuck in this neighborhood, and that this is the second time that particular house was damaged by a large truck. In Clinton County, a milk truck damaged the home of two brothers. And, Café Rinaldi of Old Forge, PA, closed after a truck came through the wall of the restaurant where two patrons had just finished their meal. Incredibly, no one was seriously hurt in these recent truck crashes, but the property damage was extensive, and at least one home was condemned. It has not been reported what caused all of these truck accidents, but three of them were attributed in part to icy road conditions.
So how common are crashes like these? The Storefront Safety Council reports that approximately 20,000 vehicle-into-building crashes occur each year, but their research is limited to collisions between vehicles and commercial or nonresidential buildings, like storefronts and restaurants, as these are more common. It does not include crashes between vehicles and residential homes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that 144 people died in collisions with buildings in 2012, but does not report the number of people who were injured, or the number of crashes where no one was hurt.
If you or a loved one have been involved in any kind of truck accident, call the truck accident lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys at 855-866-5529.
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Posted in Truck Accidents.
