Accidents involving multiple vehicles often result in drivers and vehicle occupants sustaining serious or even fatal injuries. A recent accident that happened in the Alabama city of Mobile illustrates the dangers associated with multiple-vehicle crashes.
During the early morning hours, police responded to reports of a massive crash in the George Wallace Tunnel. According to the police report, a total of eight motor vehicles were involved in the accident including five dump trucks, one pickup truck, one SUV and one motorcycle.
Upon arriving on the accident scene, first responders pronounced the 32-year-old motorcycle driver dead. An additional four individuals who were all believed to be occupants in the SUV were also injured in the accident. All four injured individuals were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of their numerous injuries. Police continue to investigate what may have caused the multiple-vehicle crash.
In addition to physical injuries, road crews were called upon to clean up potentially dangerous and hazardous material that was leaked during the crash. The accident resulted in the tunnel being closed for nearly eight hours.
While it’s not yet clear what factors may have contributed to the fatal crash, there are several possible causes. Drivers traveling through tunnels are often advised to stay in their lane. It’s possible the accident was caused by a driver attempting to maneuver his or her vehicle around other vehicles. It’s also possible that excessive speed was a factor. If one driver was forced to slow or stop suddenly this could have potentially set off a chain reaction, causing a pile-up to occur.
As more details emerge of what exactly caused this tragic accident, the family and friends of the 32-year-old motorcyclist are left mourn the loss of their loved one. Hopefully, results of the accident investigation will help answer questions of what transpired and who may held accountable.
Source: Alabama Live, “Motorcyclist killed, 4 injured in Wallace Tunnel wreck, involving 5 dump trucks,” Marc D. Anderson, Dec. 29, 2012