A truck driver was killed after being involved in a fiery semi-truck wreck around Mile Marker 42 in LaPorte County.
Around 3:16 p.m. on Monday, June 6, a 2011 Kenworth semi was in the right lane on eastbound Indiana Toll Road. The driver, a 38-year-old man from Florida, stopped because of backed up traffic leading into a construction area near mile marker 49.
The semi was suddenly hit from behind by another truck driver that failed to slow down and stop. The second semi caught fire and quickly became fully engulfed as it was hauling paper towels.
The 36-year-old driver of the second truck died at the scene while the Kenworth semi-truck driver was transported Saint Anthony’s Health Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The eastbound lanes of the toll road were completely shut down as investigators came onto the scene and debris from the accident was removed.
Construction on Indiana Toll Road began in late May, but was halted through the Memorial Day weekend and then resumed on June 1.
Nationally, four out of five people fatally injured in work zones are drivers and passengers. Rear-end accidents are the most common type of crashes in work zones.
Drivers who are traveling through a work zone should be especially attentive and must expect the unexpected. Changes in traffic patterns, reduced speeds and narrow lanes can require quick adjustments on the part of a driver. It is also important to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you in order to prevent a crash.
Have you or someone you love been injured in a work zone accident caused by a careless driver? The victim may be entitled to file a claim and seek compensation for damages they suffered. The experienced South Bend truck accident attorneys at Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak can review your claim for free and determine if you are entitled to compensation.
Call (574) 444-0741 to get started.
