Around 2 a.m. Saturday morning, a tractor-trailer struck a parked car along the southbound side of I-77 near mile marker 5 in Mercer County, West Virginia. According to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the car was stopped on the shoulder of the highway with three occupants inside when it was allegedly hit by the semi. Two people in the car were killed, and a third was seriously injured. The truck driver reportedly sustained only minor injuries.
Crashes like this often prompt questions about why a parked vehicle was hit and whether the truck was being operated safely in the moments before impact.
Was the Semi-Truck Driver Fatigued or Distracted?
During early morning hours, fatigue is a common concern for commercial drivers. If the truck driver had been on duty for an extended period or was experiencing drowsiness, it could have affected their ability to recognize and avoid a vehicle on the shoulder. Distraction is also worth considering, especially if the driver’s attention was diverted by electronic devices or in-cab controls.
Were Mechanical Issues a Potential Factor?
Mechanical issues such as faulty brakes, steering problems, or poor tire condition may also have prevented the truck from staying within its lane or avoiding the parked vehicle. Investigators may need to examine the semi-truck’s condition at the time of the crash and review recent maintenance records. If the vehicle was not in safe operating condition, that could be a significant contributing factor.
What Evidence Needs to Be Collected?
To fully understand what led to the crash, investigators will likely need to analyze data from the truck’s Engine Control Module (ECM), which can provide critical information like speed, braking activity, and steering input in the seconds leading up to the collision. Skid marks, lane position, lighting conditions, and any dashcam or surveillance footage from the area could help provide more context.
Why Every Detail Deserves Careful Examination
When a semi crash results in fatalities, it's important to understand how it happened. A thorough investigation can determine whether the truck driver was operating responsibly and whether any contributing factors, like fatigue, distraction, or mechanical failure, played a role. From my perspective, reviewing this evidence carefully is essential to providing answers to those affected and establishing accountability where it's due.