UPDATE (May 9, 2023): Recent details from authorities identified the victim in the accident as 24-year-old Lya Smither. Their information also clarifies that the two vehicles were going the same direction, and Smither’s vehicle hit the back of the tractor-trailer. That tractor-trailer may have been backing without safety, according to authorities. This and other details still need to be confirmed.
Houston, TX — April 20, 2023, a woman sustained injuries in an 18-wheeler accident at around 2:00 a.m. along Homestead Road.
Investigators said they were called to the area of Homestead Road and Bennington Street. Their statements indicate that an 18-wheeler was in the process of making a u-turn when a passenger car crashed into the rear tires of the 18-wheeler.
One person in that vehicle, an unidentified woman, was extricated and taken to a hospital with injuries described as serious. No other injuries were confirmed. Police say they have not yet found which driver is at fault. Investigations continue.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Folks may be quick to assume this all comes down to who had the right-of-way at the time of the crash. That’s no doubt important, but it may not tell the whole story. The fact of the matter is it can be incredibly dangerous to make a u-turn in an 18-wheeler even if it’s technically legal. I’ve know some trucking companies that would fire a driver for even attempting to make such a maneuver because they feel it’s not worth the risk.
So when I read these details and look at this stretch of road (the most up to date images I can find, anyway), I have to wonder how wise it was for the 18-wheeler driver to attempt a u-turn. This isn’t some big 5 lane highway. It appears to be two lanes in either direction divided by a narrow median. Was there a reason the truck driver felt they had ample time and space to safely make the turn, and was that reason actually an acceptable one? Did something happen here that authorities have yet to tell the public? Considering a woman could have been killed, there should be some answers for what went wrong here.
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