A massive chain-reaction collision on Interstate 80 in Central Pennsylvania resulted in at least two fatalities and dozens of injuries, some serious. The devastating multi-vehicle mashup involved a yet to be determined number of massive semi-trucks, vehicles which by their very nature magnify the severity of highway accidents.
Little information currently is available on those injured in the Pennsylvania I-80 accident. Multiple ambulances were dispatched to the scene to transport injured victims to area medical centers.
Pennsylvania State Police are heading up the investigation into the deadly mass collision. Officials with the police agency reported that the pileup occurred in the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, between the exits located at Lock Haven and Loganton.
The multi-vehicle crash occurred during the afternoon of Wednesday, December 16, and resulted in the interstate being closed down in both directions for hours. Severe weather dominated the region at the time of the Pennsylvania highway accident, part of a Nor’easter that dominated that part of the country.
The Pennsylvania State Police issued a warning directly after the accident involving multiple semi-trucks for people to stay home. Law enforcement reminded residents of the commonwealth that they should not be on Pennsylvania roadways during the storm “unless absolutely necessary.”
Sadly, the latest Pennsylvania deadly multi-vehicle mass accident occurred almost to the date on the anniversary of a similar fatal incident that occurred a year earlier. 58 vehicles were involved a fatal accident on Interstate 80 not far from the latest Pennsylvania highway accident on December 18, 2019. The wreckage last year took nearly two full days to clear because of the number of semi-trucks involved in the Pennsylvania Interstate 80 collision.
Not long before the accident, the National Weather Service had issued a severe storm warning that included the Lock Haven area. The National Weather Service announced that people on the Lock Haven area could expect upwards to 22 inches of snow accumulation. A stern travel advisory was issued, which was echoed in the Pennsylvania State Police admonition for motorists of all types, including semi-truck operators, to stay off the road, including Interstate 80.
Investigators are only now beginning to determine the precise cause or causes of the Pennsylvania chain-reaction accident. As of 24 hours following the fatal pile-up, investigators had not explicitly pinned the cause of the accident on weather alone. The stark reality is that weather oftentimes is a contributing factor to multi-vehicle accidents but turns out to not be the primary cause.
Investigators are working to ascertain whether the negligent or reckless conduct of motorists on the highway played a material role in the December accident. Time and again motorists can be found operating their vehicles at speeds in excess of what weather conditions permit. This particularly is a persistent and pervasive problem when it comes to semi-trucks operated at excess speeds considering prevailing weather conditions.
If you or a loved one find yourself involved in a catastrophic collision, including a semi-truck accident, The Doan Law Firm stands ready to explain and then fight for your important legal rights. We’ve set up an automobile accident and semi-truck accident hotline at (800) 349-0000 that is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including all major holidays.
A nationwide law firm, we have 40 offices across the country, from Pennsylvania to California and many states in between. This includes an office in Philadelphia serving people across the commonwealth, including our neighbors in Clinton County. In addition to connecting with us via our Pennsylvania car accident lawyer hotline, you can connect with our Pennsylvania injury lawyers at (267) 805-0000.
We can schedule an initial consultation and case evaluation at any of our offices. We can also meet with you at your home, at the hospital or rehabilitation, or online through a virtual appointment. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm automobile accident lawyer.
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