When driving along congested highways or freeways, many drivers are guilty of traveling at high rates of speed and following leading vehicles too closely. There are many dangerous scenarios that can play out when speed and tailgating are involved, most of which result in drivers and passengers being injured or even killed.

Truck drivers are typically experienced drivers who are trained to drive in undesirable weather and traffic conditions. In many cases, truck drivers even attempt to effectively police other drivers and use their big rigs to slow traffic down when potentially dangerous road or traffic conditions exist. However, when it is a truck driver who becomes distracted and fails to follow safe driving practices, the likelihood that a fatal accident will occur is great.

A 41-year-old truck driver was recently killed when his big rig smashed into that of another truck driver. The fatal truck accident occurred as traffic slowed along Ohio's Interstate 70 in response to another traffic accident. According to the police report, the 41-year-old driver apparently did not notice that traffic was slowing and therefore failed to slow his rig down in time. His truck crashed into the back of another big rig which caused the truck's cab to cave in.

This tragic accident proves the importance of staying alert while driving, particularity along freeways. Truck drivers who travel at high speeds or fail to maintain a safe distance between their vehicle and that of the driver in front of them are at an increased risk of being involved in or causing an accident.

Source: WDTN, "Missouri man killed in I-70 chain reaction crash," Jill Drury, July 19, 2013