Truck wreck backs up interstate traffic

Oct. 23--A semitrailer crash backed up traffic for miles during the morning rush hour Tuesday on Interstate 65.

Traffic was slow, and the truck driver swerved to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of him when its driver suddenly hit the brakes, Boone County Sheriff's Deputy Wesley Garst said.

The semitrailer ran off of the east side of northbound I-65 at the 143 mile marker, immediately north of the County Road 300 bridge over the interstate.

The trailer landed on its side but held its load of auto parts within, Garst said.

The driver was treated for pain in his wrist, knee and elbow at Witham Hospital and released.

No other injuries resulted from the wreck, and the driver will not be ticketed, Garst said.

Police shut down the right lane of I-65, causing backups that stretched into Lebanon from about 7:45 a.m. until after noon. A wrecker and heavy equipment retrieved the semitrailer from the weeds beyond a ditch alongside the interstate.

Rear-end collisions represent about 23% of all motor vehicle crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Most rear-end collisions happen during the daytime when visibility is unobstructed, which suggests driver inattention plays a significant role in them, according to Western National Insurance. Drivers are often rear-ended because they are distracted, and other factors in rear-end collisions worth noting include: inadequate following distance, driver fatigue, load positioning and securement, and driving too fast for conditions.

Learn how to prevent rear-end collisions by visiting the website at www.wnins.com/losscontrolbulletins/AvoidingRearEndCollisions.pdf.

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