"Second I-78 Accident In Matter Of Days"

I appreciate your kind words Nanny. My friends loss has had no effect on me. I did not know the people who were killed.
For most of my career I tried to help drivers to understand about unsafe driving practices. Following too closely is a very big problem this industry has.

I am as honest as I can be....sometimes brutally honest....and this lady took it upon herself to single me out, and obviously wants to me to defend my opinion.

 

Its okay KC we understand but remember who is the professional....

 

Boy, good luck with this one KC. Some people just don't understand that responsible driving has nothing to do with whether or not you are doing the speed limit or were following xxx seconds behind somebody, it has got to to with road conditions, weather conditions, driver conditions, and vehicle conditions and they are continually changing so 2 seconds may be good in one instance, but not in another. I don't believe following distance was a factor as the vehicle that was hit was already stopped when it was hit. You can't really follow a vehicle that is stopped.
The driver of the tractor trailer was a lease driver from a driver leasing outfit filling in for the regular driver, or on an extra run, but he was not a regular driver for that company.(HMMMM, how did I know that?) It is most unfortunate that it happened and it is very obvious that the drivers relatives are going to defend him, but they really need to take the blinders off and take this for what it is and offer support to him rather than argue on a forum about it. Maybe ought to follow the advice you gave to the victims family in regards to keeping a low profile!!!

 

Yeah, it is called denial. I wonder if he taught her how to drive.........

 

Well, I can understand she would want to defend him, but just isn't maybe thinking too clearly right now because I am sure that she is hearing so many bad things from people wanting to hang this poor unfortunate gentleman before he is tried, and hopefully she will take a good long look at what she typed one day and realize that it is not true. If the roles were reversed I wonder if she would be as gracious as Jennyret has been!

 

Very well put!

 

I'm not sure what information would be erroneous from the media, the death, the slamming into the rear or the eye witness accounts. I guess it will all come out in a criminal invest. A criminal investigation can be spoken about without issue that is the beauty of this country. There is no need to caution anyone about what would behoove them, unless you would be a law enforcement officer. If you are then it would behoove you to stand down. I can't imagine the terrific pain that either family is feeling. I feel for the FAMILY of the slain and the slayer. If you look at the pictures on the internet you see there is no mistaking the SUV was crushed at great speed and then caught on fire. 17 tons on top of an SUV takes alof of not paying attention. Threatening or demanding people watch what they say because it is a criminal investigation is not a way to build your case. I am not sure what Jennyret would know considering the witnesses that she would have known are buried. If you read her posts it is the exact thing the paper said, why is there is a need to watch what she says. Maybe they will use it to mount a defense for murder or manslaughter, but it isn't a defense because it is already public record in a statement to the press.
Babyrocko
Thank you for letting us know a criminal invest is taking place please keep us posted as to the progress. That hasn't been released as far as I can tell from the press releases. State Police said in a statement to the press that traffic was stopped and the big truck crushed the SUV from behind. Mr. Banks was burned and in critical condition. There was no statement of a sudden traffic stop or someone stopping short. I guess they are spewing errroneous information as well.
The press release "State police and the coroner's office said the family was stopped at about noon behind a tractor-trailer when another rig struck their SUV from behind and both vehicles burst into flames. One of the rig drivers remained in critical condition Sunday at Lehigh Valley Hospital. The other was uninjured." #### erroneous information!

On 9/11 the country stopped moving and if it wasn't for truckers our economy would have collapsed completely. I have worked in Emergency Medical Services for years and and have seen both good and bad drivers. There are many stories of truckers coming to the rescue of police officers when no one else was around. There are also stories of death because someone was looking down or in thought until the last minute or was upset because a four wheeler cut them off.
Oh and if a vehicle is following too close to stop at a safe distance and rear-ends a car that stopped short it is tail gating and the car in the rear is at fault. You should always look to the cars in front of the car ahead of you that was taught in drivers education.

 

Please, to all, I did not mean for this to become a "soap box" of sorts. I know the pain and stress that I and the rest of my family is feeling. And, yes, I have tried to understand the pain that the other family could be going through. As a mother, I fear driving along and having an accident and possibly killing someone else's child.

In my original post, I typed out what was printed in the newspapers and originally reported by the PA state police. However, in the end, a horrific event has brought my family and the family of the other driver together on different levels. I refuse to pass judgment on anyone without knowing the entire story. Pictures and public information has helped me to understand "how" this occured, the only question I am left with is "why"? The problem is, I may never receive that answer.

We have not even buried my brother yet. That is taking place next week. Today, 11/14 was my neice's 5th birthday.

I can not hate anyone for this tragic event. Yes, I am angry amongst many other emotions that I go through on a daily basis, but my understanding is that is all part of the grieving process. I am not a religious person by far, but I do try to understand. Simply stated, this was a horrible event with the wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am not a police officer or an investigator. I leave that to the professionals. Whether or not families agree, the accountablility and outcome of the event will be determined by the investigation.

Once again, I apologize to the moderator/administrator. I did not expect such a response to the incident.

 

Then how would the second car hit the first if that was true?

Do you know what a safe following distance means? It means that you have enough space in front of and the vehicle in front of you, to allow for the time to assess the need to stop as quickly as possible, to react to that need, and then to come to a complete stop without hitting the vehicle in front of you, if the need presented itself to you.

 

Very well put.

Look, I know this has to be hard on all of the people involved. I feel for the Bank's family to a far lesser degree for one simple reason. His life was not lost. Most of his wounds will heal.

He will have time to grieve for those that were taken as a result of this crash, to reflect upon any complicity in all of this that he may realize, and to perhaps atone for his mistake. He's not a murderer, nor is he necessarily a criminal, even if a criminal charge is levied at some point.

When he began his day, he was just like the rest of us. He was out attempting to make a living for himself and his family. He had no idea that this day would end before it was supposed to, and that the rest of his life would be altered in a second. He had no idea that another family's life would be altered as well. It's the collision course that none of us thinks will ever happen to ourselves.

These are the very kind of circumstances that each and every one of us drivers have to think about, because the next one may involve any one of us. To shove aside all reason, and to not point out where someone screwed up, is the same thing as excusing it. Far too many of us are in too big a hurry, take too many chances, and do not ever think that this can happen to us.

I know I use this phrase alot, but the fact is, we drive 80,000 pound bullets out there, and there is far more likely a chance that someone will die a horrible death, if we do not take more care to make sure that the bullets we drive do not hit a target. We have to be on top of our game every day of the week, and for every second we are behind those wheels, because all it takes is that one second, for it all to go horribly wrong.

This crash should not have happened. There is no excuse for it to have happened. This occured in a construction zone, where we are supposed to be constantly alert for stopped or slowed vehicles. Traffic was stopped ahead. Mr. Banks failed to stop in time behind that stopped traffic.

As much as it pains me to do it, I have to offer that there is absolutely no way to excuse what happened. It's a painful truth that cannot be overlooked for a moment.

I absolutely pray for the family of those that died so horribly. I know what they are going through and what they will face for some time to come. I pray that the forgiveness comes from those that will never be able to spend time with those lost in this crash.

I equally pray for Mr. Banks and all of his family, for they will surely have some rough days ahead of them as well.