It's been more than three weeks since 78-year-old man was fatally struck by a dump truck on the Los Angeles River bike path. The truck driver, who was backing up the truck that struck Karl Weichinger on June 1, says he didn't see the elderly pedestrian.
The coroner's office says that the retired electrician died from multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the Los Angeles County dump truck accident. Weichinger's friends and family say that he died because the truck driver was going too fast and that workers there were reckless.
An investigation has so far found no evidence that the truck driver, who works for All American Asphalt, was moving at a speed above 5mph. However, according to police, some people have reported that the vehicle was moving at a "high rate of speed."
Backover Accidents
It is the responsibility of any motorist while backing up to make sure there is no person behind it at the time. It is also a good idea to back up a car or truck at a reduced speed. Some vehicles, such as 18-wheeler trucks, buses, dump trucks, and motor homes, are so large in size that they may have blind spots that prevent them from seeing everything and everyone through their rearview mirrors. Running over a pedestrian or striking a vehicle while backing up an auto can result in serious Los Angeles personal injuries, property damage, and wrongful death. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicles backing up caused 221 deaths and 14,000 injuries in 2007. 99 of the fatalities and 2,000 of the injuries were to minors under the age of 15.
Questions raised in death of man, 78, struck by dump truck on L.A. River bike path, Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2010
21 People Killed in "Backover" Accidents in 2007, NHTSA Study Shows, Edmunds Daily, January 30, 2009
Related Web Resources:
NHTSA
FMCSA, Justia Regulation Tracker
Our Los Angeles County motor vehicle crash lawyers represent clients injured in back up accidents and backover collisions.
