While motor vehicle accidents occur every day throughout the Pittsburgh area, no two are exactly alike. There are many variables that come into play including the type of vehicles involved, the location of the crash and the reasons that they occur.

Some crashes are due to the actions of the people behind the wheel. When a driver is participating in behavior that makes it impossible for them to fully focus on controlling the car, such as using cellphones to talk or text with people, eating or otherwise taking their eyes off the road, this is known as distracted driving. Drunk driving would also be the fault of the driver.

Other automobile accidents are due to problems with the vehicle itself. With so many different parts making up a vehicle it is possible that problems could arise should a part vital to being able to control the car fail in some way. A good example of this would be the brakes of a car not working.

Still another reason car crashes occur is due to medical episodes unexpectedly experienced by the person behind the wheel of the automobile. This is apparently the reason behind a truck accident which occurred on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

According to police officers who responded to the scene, a tractor-trailer that was in the process of exiting the Turnpike nearly struck a KFC restaurant when the driver experienced a medical emergency, possibly a heart attack or seizure, which caused the truck to drive through a ditch and hit a light pole.

Because the truck fortunately missed the restaurant, only the driver was hurt. He was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Source: KDKA, "Driver Hospitalized After Tractor Trailer Veers Off Road, Nearly Hits Restaurant," Aug.26, 2012