A horrific crash on a Pennsylvania turnpike in early January involved a tour bus, three semi-trucks, and a passenger car. Five people were killed, and 60 people were injured. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash, but meanwhile, this tragic accident serves as a reminder of the dangers of sharing a road with large vehicles like tour buses and semi-trucks.

Early Morning Accident

The chain-reaction crash happened around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 5, 2020, on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just outside Mount Pleasant. According to Pennsylvania State Trooper Steve Limani, the tour bus was on a downhill grade and was unable to negotiate a corner, causing it to go up an embankment and roll over on its side. It was then hit by two semi-trucks—a UPS truck and a FedEx truck. Then yet another UPS truck and a passenger car crashed into the mess.

The driver of the tour bus, two bus passengers (including a nine-year-old girl), and two UPS drivers were killed instantly. Sixty people were transported to three local hospitals with injuries. The tour bus had originated in Chinatown, New York and was traveling to Cincinnati, Ohio. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash and will focus on roadway design, driver performance, and motor carrier compliance. The tour bus did not have seatbelts.

Key Points to Remember About Large Vehicles

It is important to remember a few key points when you are sharing the road with large vehicles such as tour buses and tractor-trailers. First and foremost, larger vehicles have larger blind spots. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), truck and bus drivers have blind spots on all four sides of their vehicles. Secondly, large vehicles take longer and require more distance to come to a safe stop. According to the FMCSA, a semi-truck traveling 65 miles per hour will need up to the length of two football fields to stop. Finally, the sheer mass and size of tractor-trailers and tour buses increase the risk of serious crash damage, injuries, and fatalities. These large vehicles are up to 20 to 30 times heavier than passenger vehicles.

While driving on the highway, passenger car drivers should exercise extreme caution around large commercial vehicles. This means staying out of their blind spots when passing them, giving them a wide berth of space, and being mindful of other road conditions such as snow, ice, and rain.

Hadden Law Firm, Truck Accident Experts

The Pennsylvania crash was a tragedy. Whatever the cause, five people lost their lives and countless others have been affected—not just those injured, but the families of everyone involved. If you have been injured in an accident involving a truck driver here in the greater Atlanta area, you deserve experienced legal representation to get you the compensation you deserve. John Hadden used to work as an insurance defense lawyer, but now he devotes his time to representing victims of negligence and wrongdoing. Call The Hadden Law firm at 404-939-4525 or fill out a contact form to get started on your case today.