Early Monday morning in Jackson Township, Butler County, a frightening scene unfolded when a tractor trailer rolled on top of a pickup truck, trapping the drivers inside their vehicles. This accident occurred at the intersection of Little Creek Road and Seneca School Road at approximately 8:15 am. The tractor trailer, driven by Russell Donaldson, of Jackson Center, was attempting to make a turn onto Seneca School Road when it tipped over and landed on top of a Chevy Silverado driven by James McNally of Jeannette.
After nearly two hours of being trapped, the drivers were extracted from their vehicles. McNally was transported via medical helicopter to Pittsburgh with a broken hip and a fractured knee among other injuries. Donaldson was also transported to the hospital to be treated for moderate accident related injuries.
Although the investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, police believe that speed and careless driving played a role in the events. At the time of the accident, Donaldson was carrying a load of recycled pieces of shredded cars. Police believe that Donaldson may have taken the turn too fast, causing his load to shift which caused Donaldson to lose control of his vehicle.
Over half of all accident involving tractor trailers that happen in the United States occur in rural areas as opposed to cities. Over 60% of all tractor trailer related accidents occur during the day as opposed to at night. Commercial trucking is a $600 billion industry and it is believed to only grow in the coming years. Because of this, the presence of tractor trailers on the roadway will increase. Always be aware of your surroundings on the roadway and remember that defensive driving saves lives.
