Family Killed When Semi-Trailer Truck Crossed Median
On Thursday, April 13, 2017, a family from Rowan County, North Carolina, was driving northbound on Interstate 77 in West Virginia. They were on their way to visit relatives for Easter.
Statement from Salisbury Academy on the tragic deaths of four members of the Gilley family. pic.twitter.com/tc1hdiq6oj
At around 5:30 p.m., near Camp Creek, WV, a semi-trailer truck driving southbound on I-77 lost control, crossed the median, and slammed into the family’s vehicle, killing all four occupants: father, mother and two children.
The children were in seventh and fourth grade.
A vigil for the family was held at the Concord Church of Christ on Friday, and a private vigil was held tonight. Our thoughts are with family, friends and the entire community.
Attorney Fred Pritzker can be contacted at 1-888-377-8900.
“This tragic loss highlights the need for better enforcement of safety regulations, including those that limit the amount of time a trucker can be behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound tractor-trailer,” said Fred Pritzker, a lawyer and partner at our law firm who recently won $6 million for a family in a wrongful death case. “In addition, more needs to be done regarding distracted driving. We have handled crash cases caused by texting, talking on a phone, reading a map, bending down to get something, daydreaming. Truck drivers need to keep their eyes and minds on the road. There is never an excuse for losing control of an 18-wheeler and ending someone’s life, in this case, four lives.”
We are also hoping that automation can help save lives. On Monday, April 24, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will be holding a public listening session to solicit information on issues relating to the design, development, testing, and deployment of highly automated commercial vehicles. Highly automated vehicles (HAVs) take full control of the driving tasks in at least some circumstances and also monitor the environment. FMCSA will post specific information on how to participate via the Internet on the FMCSA website at www.fmcsa.dot.gov in advance of the session.
Pritzker Hageman is a national law firm that has won numerous multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for injured people and families whose loved ones were wrongfully killed. Lawyers at our firm can be contacted using our free consultation form or by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free). If you want to speak with attorney Fred Pritzker, just ask for him.
