Man killed in wreck with tractor trailer
Tom Sargent, 32, was killed when the car he was driving crashed into a tractor trailer on Highway 412 in Dunklin County, Missouri.
According to the initial crash report, Sargent was traveling south on Route C in a 2002 Saturn at the time of this Missouri tractor trailer crash. As he crossed into the intersection with Highway 412, he struck the rear of a 1998 Freightliner, driven by Glen McBride, 38.
Sargent was pronounced dead at the scene. McBride was uninjured.
Sargent was not wearing a seat belt.
Much more investigation will be needed as the initial crash report leaves out many important details from this fatal truck accident. We don't know why Sargent hit the back of the tractor trailer or if either driver was breaking traffic laws. An accident reconstruction will be able to determine the speeds of the vehicles in question and piece together the events leading up to the crash.
Cars hitting the trailers on big rigs has been a problem for years, but certain steps have been taken to reduce tractor trailer accident injuries. An underride bar has been made mandatory on trailers to prevent smaller cars from traveling under the rig in the event of a rear-end collision. Some trucks are also being fitted with collision warning systems to help the truck driver keep his rig out of harm's way.
