Why Did a Truck Crash into Pedestrians in Richmond?
Geary Boulevard is one of San Francisco’s busiest streets, but on Monday, January 1st, the busy street was partially shut down. That’s because a box truck careened out of control and plowed into pedestrians and cars. Now the authorities and crash victims are left with many questions as they try to figure out why this truck crash happened.
How Did a Truck Crash into Pedestrians on Geary Boulevard?
A family of five was driving down 21st Street approaching Geary Boulevard when they witnessed an undoubtedly frightening sight. A box truck swerved through the intersection, into two elderly pedestrians, bounced off a lamppost and then headed directly for their car. The impact from the subsequent crash pushed the blue Mazda minivan into a parked SUV.
The woman who was driving the minivan checked on her children, who suffered only minor injuries. Then she exited her vehicle to check on the pedestrians who had been struck. One man, a 66-year-old, had taken less of a hit, but had still sustained serious injuries. The other pedestrian, a 79-year-old, had sustained far worse injuries after being flung around 10 to 15 feet.
The elderly pedestrians were rushed to the hospital where they were examined by doctors. The 66-year-old suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung while the 79-year-old was listed as being in critical condition. He also underwent surgery for internal bleeding.
The driver of the box truck was detained by police for questioning. Though the cause of the crash is still under investigation, witnesses say that the truck driver went to make a right-hand turn onto Geary from 21st Street, but he must have change his mind. The truck suddenly swerved to continue down 21st and then crashed. Surveillance video showed the vehicle advancing during a red light, and police suspect speeding was involved.
Commercial trucks of any kind can be both challenging and dangerous to drive. They are easily the largest vehicles on the streets and are very dangerous because of their girth. Training and strict regulations are required to operate these machines, but businesses sometimes try to skirt these safety rules. This can lead to crashes that result in severe injury and death, which can shatter lives. The victims of incidents like this have legal rights when it comes to the damages and pain that they have suffered. This means that they should call a motor vehicle accident attorney immediately to ensure that their rights are not neglected.
