3 Killed In South Texas Garbage Truck Collision

On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, January 3, 2014.

Most El Paso residents are likely unaware of how dangerous garbage trucks are. An average full-size garbage truck weighs about 25 tons, and garbage truck drivers tend to have poor sightlines; and, in some cases they are not well-trained. So, when garbage trucks plow through residential areas as people are pulling out of their driveways and kids are heading off to school, collisions do sometimes occur. Crashes involving garbage trucks are likely to have catastrophic results.

Many El Paso residents have heard about the terrible garbage truck crash that took place earlier this week just outside of San Benito, Texas. The crash occurred Tuesday afternoon when a City of Harlingen garbage truck crashed into a pickup truck.

Two adults and one teenage boy, all occupants of the pickup truck, were killed in the crash.

It is not exactly clear at this point what caused this accident. Investigators say that the 18-wheeler was driving south on FM 509 Tuesday afternoon while the pickup was northbound. They believe that the pickup was trying to turn left, and at that point it collided with the oncoming garbage truck.

It has not been reported whether speed might have been a factor in this crash, or whether anyone else was injured.

This is a tragic reminder of the tremendous power that garbage trucks wield. Passenger vehicles are no match for garbage trucks or other 18-wheelers. While the details of this crash are not clear, truck accidents should always be investigated thoroughly in order for the victims and their loved ones to seek justice and hold negligent parties accountable.

Source: San Benito News, “Three confirmed dead in garbage truck crash,” Michael Rodriguez, Dec. 31, 2013