Three people were injured, two seriously, after a four vehicle accident in Pierceton, Indiana on March 11, 2016. The crash happened on March 11, 2016 at 3:15 p.m. The accident was triggered by a semi truck hitting a car stopped for a red light at the intersection of Indiana 13 on westbound U.S. 30. The big rig rear-ended a Dodge Neon, which sent the car into a second semi-tractor trailer. The first semi also hit a Jeep after the initial impact.
Immediately after the impact, the Neon and the first semi burst into flames. The driver and passenger in the Neon, a 23-year-old man from Columbus, Ohio, and a 22-year-old woman, were taken to the hospital in serious condition. The driver has internal and head injuries, and passenger has second degree burns.
The driver of the second semi, a 37-year-old man from Claypool, Nebraska, broke his leg as a result of the accident, but still managed to drive his semi, which was hauling gasoline, away from the fire. The driver of the first semi, a 67-year-old man from Lincoln, Nebraska, and the driver of the Jeep were not injured.
Two of the injured people were pulled from their burning car by three Good Samaritans. U.S. 30 was closed for several hours while the accident was investigated. Photos of the accident scene show blue skies and a dry roadway.
Why Didn’t the Semi-Trailer Stop in Time?
It takes semi tractor trailers far longer to stop than passenger cars or light trucks. Truck drivers are supposed to allow for much more stopping time for precisely this reason. Depending on the truck’s speed at the time, a fully loaded semi traveling at 65 mph under ideal conditions would take 515 feet to stop, almost the length of two football fields.
