A multi-vehicle crash involving a tractor-trailer occurred this past Saturday, August 6th on I-85 in South Carolina.

Eddie Wyatt of Rockmart, Georgia, was driving an 18-wheel tractor-trailer when he swerved sharp to the left and hit Jeremy Wilson, 33 years old, who was driving a Toyota Tundra pickup truck.  The tractor-trailer dragged Wilson’s truck and a Toyota 4Runner with it across the median into the northbound lanes and hit another 18-wheeler driven by Clay Johnson, 38 years old of Charlotte. According to WCNC News, the cab of Johnson’s vehicle was separated from the rest of the vehicle and was sent tumbling off the road.

Tragically, Wilson, Johnson, and Wyatt all died instantly in this crash. There were two people in the 4Runner, Curtis and Beverly Schultz of Simpsonville, S.C. who were treated for minor injuries.

Wilson was an attorney and partner at the Jonas Law Firm. Rep. Jonathan Rhyne, a close colleague of Wilson, hired Wilson to help him with his family law caseload. Rep. Rhyne said, “He was a very fine lawyer. He had a great combination of intellect and dependability. His clients loved him and depended on him. We deal with people whose marriages aren’t going well, and they need to have someone to assure them and tell them it’s going to be alright. Jeremy had a talent for putting them at ease.”

The Deputy coroner said that investigators were told that the truck driven by Wyatt started weaving left and right, and then the truck took a hard swerve left. Our thoughts are with their family members.

Trucking accidents are more common that people realize.   According to the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, one out of nine traffic fatalities last year resulted from a collision involving a large truck or semi. Last year in the United States alone, 380,000 large trucks were involved in crashes and 4,229 people died along with 90,000 people injured as a result of the trucking crash.

While no one is immune from an accident, there are some tips to practice while on the road with a truck:

  1. First, you should pay attention when you see a large truck. Trucks are different than other cars because the truck’s size and weight affect the truck driver’s ability to stop and change lanes. Because of the size of the truck and weight the truck is carrying, you should keep a safe distance between your car and the truck’s car.
  2. When adverse weather conditions are present you should use additional caution when driving by a truck. Just as cars have blind spots, so do 18-wheelers. Because trucks have large blind spots, use caution when passing them as they may not see you.
  3. Try to avoid road rage against truck drivers. No matter how made you may get at a truck driver do not make any aggressive moves or gestures to them. It is a battle you are sure to lose.
  4. If you have a flat tire or have to stop on the highway, pull your car completely off the roadway and use flashers or signals.
  5. Always drive with caution, especially in adverse conditions.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a trailer tractor collision, please feel free to contact our lawyers to see how they can help protect your legal rights. In addition to providing a free review of your claim, our Truck Accident Lawyers can also provide valuable insight into dealing with your injuries and precautions you should consider.

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