Three people were killed and five others were injured after a tractor-trailer rear-ended a car on the New York State Thruway and sent it barreling into another vehicle. According to a report in the New York Post, the horrific truck accident occurred in the Town of Ulster when a 61-year-old truck driver from Canada crashed into the back of a Honda sedan on the highway’s southbound side. Traffic had stopped in the right lane, near mile marker 88.3, but the truck’s driver couldn’t stop his tractor-trailer in time to avoid the rear-end collision.
Injuries and Fatalities
The impact of the collision pushed the Honda roughly 500 feet after which it struck a minivan, which 
was forced off the road. Three family members, who were seated in the back of the sedan, aged 10, 47 and 14, died at the scene. The driver of the sedan, 24, and the front-seat passenger, were transported to area hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries. Three people in the minivan, ages 27, 45 and 48, were also hospitalized.
The driver of the minivan was not injured. The truck driver was also uninjured and has not been charged pending an accident investigation. We offer our deepest condolences to the family for their tremendous loss. Our thoughts and prayers are also with all those who were injured in this truck accident.
Rear-End Truck Accidents
Rear-end truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or deaths. Here are some of the most common causes for these types of truck accidents:
Following too closely: A truck that is following another vehicle too closely in traffic runs the risk of causing a deadly accident. In such cases the driver is unable to stop his or her truck in time to avoid the collision. Because of their large size and significant weight, trucks typically require a greater distance before it can come to a complete stop from the time its brakes are applied.
Unsafe speed: When a truck driver is traveling at an unsafe speed, it makes it harder for him or her to control the vehicle. This can be absolutely devastating especially in a situation where the traffic ahead of the truck is slowing down or even comes to a sudden stop.
Fatigued driving: When a truck driver has been on the road for many consecutive hours, there is the danger of him or her falling asleep at the wheel. This has caused a number of deadly truck accidents around the country.
Distracted driving: When a truck driver is looking at the phone, talking or texting, etc. there is a greater risk for a rear-end collision to take place. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it takes about 4.6 seconds for a driver to read or respond to a text. This means the driver’s eyes, hands and attention are not on the roadway for that period of time.
Brake failure: When a truck is not properly maintained, there is the potential for the brakes to fail, which means the truck cannot stop in time to avoid a crash. It is the trucking company/owner’s responsibility to ensure that the vehicles are properly maintained.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Victims who have been injured in truck accidents may be able to seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased accident victims may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for damages such as lost future income, funeral costs, medical expenses, pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, or if you have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent or careless driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: https://nypost.com/2020/08/04/woman-two-kids-killed-in-new-york-state-thruway-crash/