Around 6 a.m. Thursday, February 11th, more than 130 vehicles were involved in a catastrophic pile-up on I-35W near downtown Forth Worth resulting in dozens of injuries and at least six deaths. As crews continue to clean up the scene into the Friday commute, lawmakers are beginning to investigate whether or not the roads were properly prepped for the historical winter weather that descended upon the state mid-week.
The Crash & Aftermath
The fatal pile-up occurred in the southbound TEXPress lanes — toll lanes that run through the center of I-35W. In total, more than 130 vehicles crashed into each other in a chain reaction event, where vehicles spanning from trucks, SUVs, cars, and 18-wheelers began colliding over more than a half-mile stretch of the highway just north of downtown Fort Worth.
According to the Dallas News, there was also a rotation of over 100 emergency vehicles on-site in the hours after the crash, largely made up of 26 vehicles from the fire department, 80 police cars, and 13 ambulances. As crews began working through the wreckage as quickly as possible, they worried that the falling temperatures would ultimately lead to hypothermia for those that were exposed to the elements while trapped in their vehicle for extended periods of time.
Road Preparation & Design
While icy roadways are the obvious culprit in the massive accident, there are many questioning the local and state entities responsible for the roads, as it’s evident that the necessary preparation, such as effectively sanding and salting the roadways, did not occur. As of Friday afternoon, the stretch of the road remains closed as investigators look to determine the true cause of the crash and whether or not the roads were properly prepped for the icy weather that began descending across the city a couple of days prior. The icy roadways coupled with the seemingly dangerous design of the TEXPress lanes has resulted in lawmakers questioning how such a crash could’ve taken place in the first place.
State Representative Ramon Romero Jr. was one of the first local lawmakers to begin discussing the issues with the design of the roadway on Twitter Thursday, stating, “My office is asking many questions and demanding answers. We have already had multiple discussions about this tollway’s bottleneck design and lack of commonsense safety measures such as a shoulder.“ He went on to add, “This tragedy deserves an immediate and thorough investigation. This inclement weather was foreseeable and lives were lost because a private company didn’t uphold its end of the deal. Investigate now @TXAG @TxDOT @TxDPS. #fortworth“
Fatal Truck Accidents In Texas
Getting into an accident with a large vehicle such as an 18-wheeler can be a catastrophic event, especially when high speeds and bad road conditions are involved. The main reason why commercial truck accidents are deadly is the difference in size and weight of the vehicles involved in the crashes. In 82 percent of the crashes involving large trucks, the fatalities occur to occupants of other vehicles and non-occupants. A passenger vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist is much more vulnerable in a truck crash than the occupants of the truck.
Civil Litigation Attorneys in Texas
The Texas truck accident attorneys of the Weycer Law Firm help accident victims and families seek the compensation they deserve when a trucking company, truck driver, or other party is negligent in causing a tragic accident. To schedule your free consultation, call (713) 668-4545.