Posted: February 2, 2016
Police have identified a man killed in a crash with a dump truck on January 21, 2016. The victim was 52-year-old David J. Turi, of Manahawkin. Turi was driving a 2011 Ford F250 utility van that crashed into the dump truck on Route 70.
According to police, Turi was traveling on Lakehurst Road in Pemberton Township at about 6:45 that Thursday morning. He reportedly tried to make a turn onto Route 70 eastbound but traveled into the path of a dump truck travelling east.
Dump truck involved in freeway crash
The truck hit Turi’s vehicle; he was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. Turi was a Master Plumber who enjoyed gardening, bee keeping, and raising chickens. He left behind two sons and a daughter.
A 33-year-old Toms River man was driving the dump truck. He suffered minor injuries. He has not been charged, though the police are still investigating the crash.
Liability in truck accidents
Commercial trucks, including dump trucks, are much heavier than the typical passenger vehicle so accidents involving them are more likely to be serious. In fact, federal statistics show that over 10% of the traffic fatalities on U.S. roads involve heavyweight commercial trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds. But even the non-fatal accidents can cause life-changing injuries such as head trauma, broken bones, whiplash, back injuries, organ damage, and burns.
Motorists need to be alert especially driving near dump trucks. Federal research shows that dump trucks have poor visibility and are one of the large trucks most often involved in crashes. Causes of dump truck accidents include improper loading, loads that shift, overloading, unsecure dump truck covers, poor maintenance, and driver errors.
Accidents involving dump trucks raise a handful of complicated questions. An unavoidable issue is which parties are at fault and therefore liable? It may be the truck driver, the truck’s owner, whoever performed maintenance on the vehicle, or another party entirely.
Another question is whether the truck was compliant with both federal and state safety regulations like weight limits on the road. For example, in New Jersey the police can ticket a truck driver for being over the Gross Vehicle Weight (the maximum allowable weight, including its load, according to the manufacturer) or overweight on the axles (a calculation of the weight on each axle that is meant to protect bridges). Other regulations include time limits on how long a driver may drive in a sitting, how cargo must be loaded, and when the truck must be inspected.
Legal recourse available for victims
If an accident victim believes that the truck driver or owner is at fault, he must be able to prove that that the driver was careless or violated a law, that this directly caused the crash, and that the plaintiff suffered injury or loss as a result.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Recovery may include reimbursement for medical and funeral bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other expenses.
Choose an experienced truck accident lawyer to protect your rights. The New Jersey-based attorneys of Eisbrouch Marsh offer a free evaluation of your case and legal options. Call 201-342-5545 to learn more about your legal options.
Resources
- NJ.com, Police ID N.J. man killed in dump truck crash, http://www.nj.com/burlington/index.ssf/2016/01/police_id_nj_man_killed_after_crashing_into_dump_t.html
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2012, https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2012
- Federal Highway Administration, Oversize/Overweight Load Permits, http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/Freight/sw/permit_report/index.htm
