Sunday, April 26, 2015

TOW TRUCK DRIVER KILLED WHEN STRUCK BY DRIVER OF A BOX TRUCK











Summary
 
The towing company involved in this incident provided roadside assistance and towing services. The company maintained three tow trucks, employed three operators, and went out of business after this incident occurred. 
The box truck involved in this incident was owned and operated by one man, the 24-year-old driver in the incident, who used it to transport produce locally. He also used the box truck to attend auctions and acquire items for sale. 
The temperature on the day of the incident ranged from 71 degrees Fahrenheit to 99 degrees Fahrenheit. There was no precipitation.
In the early morning hours of a summer day, a 49-year-old male owner-operator of a towing company died when he was struck by a driver operating a box truck. 
The towing company had been called to retrieve a sport utility vehicle (SUV) that had broken down in another state and was returning the vehicle to its owner in Kentucky. 
It was approximately 4:00 a.m. when the towing company owner and his two sons (ages 2 and 18) were on an interstate returning with the SUV, when the operator thought the load felt strange.
He parked his tow truck on the right hand shoulder and was standing on the driver’s side at the rear of the trailer checking the load’s securement.
As the box truck driver approached the parked tow truck he veered right, crossing the solid white line onto the shoulder. 

The front right side of the box truck struck the rollback section of the parked towing vehicle where the tow truck operator was standing and where the winch controls were located. 
The force of the impact against the tow truck sent the box truck careening back onto the interstate in a northward trajectory before flipping onto its side and skidding to a halt some 38 yards away from the tow vehicle. 
Inside the damaged box truck, the driver remained conscious. The doors in the cab were lodged shut; the driver traversed the back of the cab and the empty cargo space to the exit in the rear of the vehicle.
The tow truck driver’s 18-year-old son called emergency medical services to the scene. 
They arrived, followed by the coroner who declared the towing operator dead at the scene. 
The driver of the box truck was arrested and subsequently charged with murder, driving under the influence (.115 BAC), driving without insurance, and in violation of numerous other commercial vehicle regulations.

Cause of Death 
The cause of death was due to massive head and chest injuries resulting from being struck by a motor vehicle.

Recommendations
To prevent future occurrences of similar incidents, the following recommendations have been made: 
Recommendation No. 1: Four points of securement should be used when transporting a load. 
Recommendation No. 2: Towing operators should receive refresher safety and operational training annually. 
Recommendation No. 3: The maximum carrying capacity of the tow truck should not be exceeded. 
Recommendation No. 4: Portable warning devices should be used when outside of the truck to alert approaching motorists. 
Recommendation No. 5: Appropriate high-visibility vests should be worn by persons working along highways and streets. 
Recommendation No. 6: There should be increased public awareness of the “Move Over Law” in Kentucky.
Recommendation No. 7: A proper pre-trip and post-trip inspection should be performed at the beginning and closing of each day. 
Recommendation No. 8: Whenever possible, the tow truck driver should pull over at a ‘safe’ location that allows the truck to be out of the way of approaching traffic.