Driver ejected during accident

A Houston big rig accident ejected the driver, resulting in fatality on March 15, 2022. Authorities believed that wet road conditions were a factor in causing the Amazon big rig to jack knife.

Details of the Houston Big Rig Accident

The truck driver was on the 7500 block of the N. Sam House Parkway when the 18-wheeler jack knifed. It was around 1:15 a.m. and she was traveling on the tollway’s eastbound side.

(Reference: Click2Houston.com)

Factors in ejection accidents

The Association for Advancement of Automotive Medicine did a study about ejection risk in rollover accidents. Ejection is a deadly factor that increases the chances of injury and death.

In fact, statistics for rollover crashes indicate that half of all deaths in this type of crash result from ejection.

One of the main issues that lead to ejection is the failure to wear seatbelts. Wearing seatbelts reduces the risk of partial ejection, such as going part way through a windshield. In fact, seatbelts virtually eliminate the risk of full ejection from a vehicle. In addition, the study found that airbag deployment also reduces the rates of partial and complete ejection.

The researchers also addressed roof crush and different types of airbag deployment in their study.

In conclusion, they found that the following increased the rates of ejection:

• Unbelted occupants
• Higher severity rollovers
• Larger passenger vehicles
• Far side occupants
• Larger occupants

Blocking ejection portals in the roofs of vehicles is another factor than can help reduce ejections.

Your legal rights in a car accident

We do not know the details as to how the Houston big rig accident resulted in ejecting the driver. To pursue a lawsuit to recover compensation, you must prove that negligence existed. In an accident where the driver’s own negligence caused the accident and the driver was the only one killed or injured, there would not be grounds to pursue a compensation for damages. However, if a manufacturer produced a defective seatbelt, airbag or other car element, there may be grounds to sue the manufacturer.

If you have questions about pursuing a case, seek a legal opinion.

For decades, the Office of Michael R. De La Paz has successfully represented victims in car accident cases throughout Texas, including Houston, Padre Island and Corpus Christi. Arrange a free consultation to evaluate your potential case.