Most people would agree that car accidents are always potentially dangerous. This is particularly true if one of the vehicles involved in the crash is at tractor-trailer. Because of trucks’ weight, it is not uncommon for the objects it hits to be decimated. Sadly as one might expect, the end result of many of these truck collisions is death.

Recently, a truck driver lost control of the tractor-trailer he was driving in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, on Route 711. Before tipping onto its side and hitting two houses, the 18-wheeler smashed into four cars. All five occupants of one of the houses were home when the truck hit. Miraculously, none were injured. The other house was vacant.

The 44-year-old man behind the wheel of the truck was stuck inside of the cab. It took the rescue crew 20 minutes to free him. Though his injuries were characterized as not being life-threatening, he nonetheless was transported to a Pittsburgh hospital via helicopter.

There are many possible reasons that a truck accident might occur. Sometimes the blame can be placed on the driver. Distracted driving, fatigue and driving while intoxicated are causes that fall under that category. Other times, equipment failure is at fault. Problems with the brakes and tires are examples of this. The list of potential reasons for an accident is a long one.

It is not clear what caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. According to state police, he may be cited for several violations including driving too fast for conditions.

Source: The Republic, “Tractor-trailer smashes into 2 western Pa. homes; 5 residents uninjured, trucker faces charges,” The Associated Press, Dec. 12, 2011