Personal Injury Law

One Fatality, One Injury, in Massachusetts Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving Tanker Truck

By Altman & Altman

One woman is dead and five other people sustained injuries in a multi-vehicle collision in Littleton on Tuesday involving an empty tanker truck. The Massachusetts motor vehicle crash occurred at the intersection of Spectacle Pond Road and Route 2a.

According to Fire Chief Stephen Carter, the elderly woman who died was in the vehicle that collided with the truck. The five other accident victims were treated for nonfatal injuries. Massachusetts state police reconstruction workers are investigating the cause of the traffic crash.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 26 large trucks were involved in fatal truck crashes in Massachusetts in 2007. Nationally, 4,584 large trucks were involved in deadly auto accidents last year, while large 76,000 trucks were involved in motor vehicle crashes resulting in injuries.

More 2007 Large Truck Facts (NHTSA):

? There were 413,000 large truck accidents.
? There were 4,808 large truck fatalities.
? 75% of the victims were riding in other motor vehicles.
? 23% of the fatalities were large truck occupants.
? 2% of the accident victims that died were not riding in or on a motor vehicle at the time of the large truck crash.
? One out of nine traffic deaths involved a large truck crash.
? 28% of deadly two-vehicle accidents involved large trucks.
? 101,000 victims were injured in large truck accidents.
? 802 of the injury victims were riding in large trucks.
? 3,601 of the injury victims were riding in other motor vehicles.
? 405 of those injured were not occupying any vehicles at the time of the truck crash (includes pedalcyclists and pedestrians).
? Large trucks have a greater chance than passenger cars of becoming involved in deadly multi-vehicle accidents.
? In 51% of deadly two-vehicle collisions involving a large truck, both motor vehicles were driving forward at the time of the accident.
? In 11% of deadly two-vehicle crashes involving a large truck, the other vehicle was making a turn.

1 dead, 5 hurt in Littleton crash involving tanker, Boston Herald.com, November 25, 2008

Large Trucks Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, NHTSA

Related Web Resource:

Passenger Carrier Safety, FMCSA

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on November 25, 2008 (boomark / email).