On April 26, 2016, at approximately 12:00 p.m., a truck driver was driving an unloaded logging truck on eastbound U.S. Highway 98 when he came upon stopped traffic and attempted to stop. The truck jackknifed and pushed the tractor into the westbound lane. The ambulance driving eastbound crashed into the truck.
Doris Chase, 72, who was in the ambulance was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries after the ambulance in which she was riding crashed head-on with the logging truck. Ms. Chase was transported to a Panama City Hospital for treatment.
The truck driver was not injured and was charged with careless driving.
The current federal weight limit for a large interstate truck is 80,000 pounds, but for some states, there are exemptions and permits allowing even heavier trucks to travel on our roadways. Bigger, heavier trucks are more likely to be in a crash, more likely to cause damage to our roads and bridges, and more likely to result in an injury or death.
To find more information please visit the website: https://trucksafety.org or send an email to info@trucksafety.org