DODD AND HENRY

One Person Killed in Oklahoma Truck Accident

On October 7th, 2019, a 57-year-old man named John King was killed in a tragic truck accident in Sentinel, OK—a rural town in Washita County, located approximately 100 miles west of Oklahoma City.

 

Tulsa, OK -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/31/2019 --According to a representative for Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), the crash occurred at an intersection on State Highway 55. 

An Agricultural Truck Failed to Yield at a Stop Sign     

Based on the initial report filed by a state trooper, a preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of an agricultural truck failed to properly yield at a stop sign—causing the collision. Mr. King was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision. The as-of-yet unidentified driver of the truck was also transported to a local emergency medical center, reportedly in stable condition. The accident is still under investigation. 

Truck Accidents are Different than Other Motor Vehicle Collisions

For a number of different reasons, large truck accidents are unique. As explained by Oklahoma truck accident lawyer Roger Dodd, "Trucking accident cases are far more likely to involve serious injuries, or fatalities, than are car accidents. Beyond that, the laws governing truck accident claims are also more complex. In fact, in many cases, federal laws are implicated in commercial truck accident cases." 
Failure to Yield is the Leading Cause of Crashes at Intersections

Oklahoma has very strict rules regarding the right-of-way at intersections.

All drivers in the state have a legal duty to understand and comply with these regulations. When collisions occur at intersections, it is often because at least one of the drivers failed to properly yield to an oncoming vehicle. There are a number of different risks factors that make failure to yield accidents more likely. Distracted driving, reduced visibility, adverse weather conditions, and poor road design all increase the risk of these accidents. Further, a study published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, found that failure to yield accidents increased with age. Their hypothesis suggests that older drivers are more likely to make evaluation errors, misjudging the speed of oncoming vehicles. 

Failure to Yield Accidents Involving Trucks Lead to More Serious Injuries 

Although there is no evidence that large trucks are more likely to be involved in failure to yield accidents, any accident involving a commercial truck is disproportionately likely to result in severe injuries or fatalities. Due to their immense size, trucks present an inherent danger to everyone else on the road. All trucks should be operated with the highest level of safety in mind.