Beckham County, OK — May 31, 2024, Lake Newcomb was injured due to a tractor versus semi-truck accident at 3:20 p.m. on Highway 34.
Initial details about the crash say that it happened outside of the town of Carter in the area of the Highway 34 and East 1220 Road intersection.
Statements from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol say that 60-year-old Lake Newcomb was on a tractor going along the road when Newcomb reportedly attempted to make a left turn. While doing so, a semi-truck “attempting to pass on the left” crashed into Newcomb as he turned. As a result, Newcomb sustained reportedly critical injuries.
Currently, additional details about the crash are unclear.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
If the news is accurate, a crash like this typically comes down to finding out whether or not the truck driver made a reasonable decision trying to pass the victim on the left. That’s rarely as simple a task as some may think.
It’s important to keep in mind that even when passing on the left is legal, it isn’t always safe. If a vehicle ahead is clearly slowing down and signaling to make a turn, no reasonable driver would think it’s safe to pass—least of all a reasonably prudent professional driver. But in certain conditions, such as with poor visibility, poorly designed intersections, or when drivers don’t signal, it could be that a truck driver has reason to believe it’s safe to pass when it really isn’t.
To that end, it’s worth considering what methods authorities are using to reconstruct this accident scene and the events leading up to the collision. Authorities don’t always have the tools or training to go beyond surface-level details like cell phone records, dash cam footage, and witness statements. A more thorough accident reconstruction should be able to map out and analyze debris patterns, pull engine control module data from the vehicles, look into the driving histories of the people involved, investigate the safety and training procedures of any employers who may have played a role, and even examine the design and maintenance of the roadway itself. And those are just some of the things a thorough accident reconstruction typically addresses.
Frankly, that level of depth isn’t something I see outside of independent professional accident reconstructionists. That’s why a lot of folks who call me with questions were people who relied on authorities to get them answers only to end up empty handed. Maybe authorities here are exceptionally skilled with commercial truck accidents, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. People tend to be much better off when they can be confident the investigators looking for answers are actually asking the right questions.
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