Man on Motorcycle Killed in Collision with Tractor-trailer
According to KXAN, a motorcyclist sustained fatal injuries after being struck by a tractor-trailer in Pflugerville, Texas, on Monday morning.
Dense Fog in Area at Time of Crash
Police say a motorcyclist in his 40s traveled on N. Heatherwilde Boulevard near Highway 45 at around 6:00 a.m. when the accident occurred. An 18-wheeler pulled out of a private drive onto Heatherwilde Boulevard, striking the motorcyclist. The man was pinned underneath the semi and died at the scene of the crash, according to KXAN.
Witnesses told police that the semi-truck did not see the oncoming motorcyclist, and the foggy conditions may have inhibited the truck driver’s view.
KXAN spoke with the owner of the trucking company who said that although fog may have contributed to the motorcyclist’s death, the stretch of road where the accident occurred is dangerous due to the ongoing construction. The project is widening Heatherwilde Boulevard from two to four lanes and is expected to be completed next spring, reports KXAN.
Tractor-trailer Accident Statistics
The following information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
- In 2014, 3,903 people died in crashes involving large trucks.
- Occupants of other vehicles made up 73 percent of these fatalities.
- An estimated 111,000 people sustained injuries in crashes involving large trucks in 2014, an increase of 17 percent from 2013.
- Over 16 percent of all large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes had at least one prior speeding conviction.
