Dauphin County, PA — October 24, 2024, a truck driver was killed and three others were injured due to an 18-wheeler accident at 11:24 a.m. on I-81.
Preliminary details about the crash say that it happened along the southbound lanes of the interstate west of Lebanon.
It appears that traffic on I-81 became congested, and vehicles were slowing. In that traffic, it’s said that a 1999 Freightliner 18-wheeler crashed into a car and a 2019 Freightliner. The 2019 Freightliner then hit a third commercial truck.
Due to the collisions, the 2019 Freightliner driver reportedly died. The car driver, a passenger in the car, and the driver of the 1999 truck all had reported injuries. Right now, additional details about the accident are unavailable.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Authorities describing a commercial truck crashing into traffic always sets off alarm bells. It’s usually the result of something like speeding, following too closely, or distracted driving. Could this be some unusual, unavoidable accident? Sure, but that’s just another reason to make sure investigations are as thorough as possible. Even if the crash was a driver making a mistake, that may not tell the whole story.
For example, I handled an accident not long ago where a truck driver was behind the wheel for over 20 hours straight. As we dug into the details, it turned out the driver’s employer encouraged drivers engaging in reckless behavior. They expected drivers to meet unreasonable deadlines, leading to drivers speeding, rushing through lights and yield signs, going over hours of service, skipping maintenance, etc. Inevitably, this was going to get people hurt, and that’s exactly what happened.
Any experienced trucker knows that one of the biggest risks to them out on the road is companies like that sending unqualified or dangerous truckers on those same roads to cause accidents. That’s why it’s important to call out that behavior whenever possible. Those companies don’t clean up their act unless the consequences they face rise to the level of severity of their mistakes. So while it’s possible this all was the result of an irresponsible driver’s mistake, focusing solely on those actions may not be enough to ensure there’s a just resolution for the victims and families involved.
