Traffic was reportedly backed up on the New Jersey Turnpike for approximately five hours on August 1, 2013, after a crash occurred. According to the New Jersey State Police, the driver of a Kenworth tractor-trailer decided to pass the driver of a Peterbilt dump truck that was driving in front of it in the right lane. When the tractor-trailer attempted to pass the dump truck, the front passenger side of the Kenworth hit the rear driver’s of the dump truck, causing the tractor-trailer to jack knife and the dump truck to crash into the woods.
When the tractor-trailer jack knifed, it ended up blocking both southbound lanes of traffic as well as parts of both shoulders. The dump truck went about 50 feet off the road where it hit a tree and flipped over. The driver of the dump truck had to be extricated from the cab after the truck accident. The 53-year-old driver reportedly complained of moderate neck and back pain after he was extricated from the vehicle, and he was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
The driver of the tractor-trailer reportedly suffered from minor injuries and received treatment for them at the scene of the accident. The crash happened between the Parkville Station Road overpass and the Route 45 overpass, closing traffic for most of the morning.
The driver of the dump truck could decide to sue the other driver for his injuries. He could claim that his injuries would not have occurred if it hadn’t been for the driver of the tractor-trailer hitting him while attempting to pass him. A personal injury lawyer might be able to assist the man in his personal injury claim if he decides to file one. A lawyer might help him by negotiating a favorable settlement.
Source: NJ.com, “Truck driver injured in N.J. Turnpike crash in West Deptford; road reopened after five hours“, August 01, 2013