On April 16, 2016, at approximately 5:40 a.m., a man, identified as Clayton Tripp, 84, was driving a Chevy Malibu westbound on freeway SR44 when he collided with a semi-truck trailer truck and his car was wedged under the truck.
The truck driver was on eastbound SR44 when he was making a U-turn to travel westbound towards interstate 75. He was not injured and was cited for violation of right-of-way.
Mr. Tripp and his passengers, his wife, Janice Tripp, 85, and his daughter, Dianne Tripp, 58, were all seriously injured. One person was airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center and the other two were taken in an ambulance. Clayton Tripp died a few days later from his injuries.
Trucks with weak underride guards, or none at all, offer little to no protection for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians who can possibly crash into the sides or rear of a truck and trailer. Rear underride guards are required on many trucks and trailers, but the standard is antiquated and ineffective in preventing underride crashes from becoming injurious or fatal. Overall, more than 4,000 people are killed injury statistic should be here as well in truck crashes every year in the United States.
To find more information please visit the website: www.trucksafety.org or send an email to info@trucksafety.org.