Coal trucks typically haul between 26 and 27 short tons.That’s a lot of weight that requires a lot of distance to stop. That may be the reason why an 89-year-old woman was killed Thursday when she pulled out in front of a coal truck on Cabin Creek Road in Dry Branch, West Virginia (WV).
Lena Brooks from Eskdale pulled her 2004 Kia sedan out of the parking area at the post office, said Lt. Bryan Stover of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. But a coal truck driver wasn’t able to pull his coal truck out of the way and struck Brooks’ vehicle from the side.
Our thoughts go out to the woman’s family who I’m sure has many questions about the accident. While this accident is still under investigation, as a truck accident personal injury lawyer I can tell you that trucking accidental injuries have a tendency to be catastrophic, with severe injuries or fatalities being the rule as opposed to the exception.
The community itself is upset as seen by comments recently left on the news story
Once again: Coal trucks in the area are dangerous.They act like the road belongs to them, and everyone else is trespassing on it. The coal trucks that rumble through towns like Chelyan and Chesapeake, only a couple of feet from children on walking or riding bikes down the sidewalk are going to eventually kill a pedestrian.
The tragic accident is a reminder of how important it is to operate large, commercial vehicle responsibly. When a vehicle as massive as a coal truck is operated in a negligent, irresponsible manner, the ramifications can be devastating, as evident by this WV truck wreck.
CA