Deadly New Jersey truck accident sends flames into sky

In our last post we discussed the seriousness of New Jersey truck accidents and the efforts of some safety advocates to implement mandatory sleep apnea testing for truck drivers. The sleep apnea testing may help detect fatigued drivers and prevent some of the serious truck accidents that happen on our local roads. In addition to being much heavier than a typical passenger vehicle, trucks are also dangerous because of the sometimes toxic or flammable cargo that they can carry.

Gasoline tankers are among the most dangerous trucks on our local roads because they can ignite when there is a traffic accident. That’s what happened last night in Elizabeth, New Jersey. A racing car allegedly ran right under gasoline truck at the Bayway Circle. Authorities suspect that drag racing may be involved.

“The car was traveling northbound on Route 1&9, and the truck was going across,” an eyewitness said. “So I guess the car went through the light as the truck was going around the circle, and went right underneath. Boom.”

The driver of the car allegedly became wedged underneath the truck and was trapped by a fireball that was sent into the air after the crash. The driver of the car was burned to death but the truck driver managed to escape without injury.

Although witnesses and local residents believe that the car was involved in drag racing, it is still unclear which vehicle had the right of way. It is also unclear whether the truck driver will face any charges in connection with this accident.

Source: ABC, “Deadly NJ tanker crash sends fireball into the sky,” Anthony Johnson, Jan. 24, 2012