Two injured in Pennsylvania truck accident involving 18-wheeler

Any accident involving a moving vehicle has the potential for serious injuries, and the dangers are even greater with truck accidents. Earlier this month, central Pennsylvania saw another of these dangerous multi-vehicle accidents. This time all of the vehicles involved were trucks.

The collision along Route 30 in Lancaster County that shut down a mile-long stretch of road for four hours involved three trucks: a moving truck, a full-sized pickup truck and an 18-wheeler. According to the police report, the moving truck slowed to turn right from Route 30. The pickup truck then slowed to allow the moving truck to turn. The 18-wheeler did not slow as the moving truck turned and smashed into the pickup truck, which in turn hit the moving truck. The trucks then hit a 229-year-old building on the corner of the road before coming to a stop.

These types of accidents can lead to significant personal injuries including broken bones, punctured lungs and paralysis for those in smaller vehicles. In this particular accident, the drivers of the smaller trucks were both seriously injured. They needed to be removed from their trucks by rescuers and were taken to a local hospital. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not seriously injured.

Property damage is also not uncommon when large trucks collide. This case is no exception. The moving van and pickup truck suffered great damage. In fact, the pickup truck was barely recognizable after the impact from the crash. The building the trucks hit also suffered damage. Thankfully for those inside the building, the three-foot-thick walls provided protection.

Source: Lancaster Online, "Three trucks collide, shut Route 30," Tom Knapp, March 19, 2012