An accident near Fairmont involving 7 vehicles sent 4 people to the hospital. The accident happened on Interstate 79 and involved at least to semitrucks.
The West Virginia State Police are investigating the accident and had to close the freeway for hours. The condition of those transported to the hospital was not disclosed.
Common causes of highway pileups
To a great extent, pileups on highways happen for the same reasons that other vehicle accidents happen. On a crowed highway, though, one collision is more likely to start a chain reaction where vehicles start spinning into each other.
For example, distracted driving, drunk or drugged driving, fatigued driving and the like can all trigger a chain reaction accident that leads to a pileup.
Likewise, drivers who choose to tailgate or who drive too fast for the road or weather conditions may not be able to stop in time to avoid an accident is something changes quickly in front of them.
Truckers in particular need to pay careful attention and mind their speed while on the freeway.
The reason is that, at highway speeds, it will take almost twice the distance for a large truck to stop than it would a passenger car, and that is assuming both drivers promptly apply the brakes.
Truckers should be held responsible for their part in causing pileups
Truck drivers who use Interstate 79 and other highways can and should be held financially responsible if their negligence contributes to a pileup. They should have to pay for medical bills, lost wages and other damages that they cause. Still, multi-vehicle accidents can take a lot of investigation to sort out fault.
