Like many of us, a truck driver could not believe his eyes when he saw who was driving the car that collided with his semitrailer on June 2nd.

Two young sisters from Utah wanted to take a trip to California, so they took their parents’ car when they crossed paths with a truck on the highway. The 9-year-old driver and 4-year-old sister walked away without injuries, according to the NY Daily News. With summer approaching, the girls told police they wanted to enjoy a nice beach day.

Details About the Accident

When people think of truck accidents, they seldom consider circumstances where passenger vehicle drivers collide into a large truck. In 2019, 4,119 people died in large truck crashes, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Many fatalities are caused by truck drivers, resulting in 67% of driver deaths and 16% of truck driver fatalities.

When the underage driver was making her way to what she assumed was CA, she entered the wrong off-ramp, crashed right into a semitrailer, according to Sean McCarthy, Lieutenant of the West Valley City Police Department. He told a local news station that, “The semi-truck driver reported that there were two kids in the car, and they [appeared] very young.” At the moment, the truck driver initially thought that the opposing driver was under the influence before clearly seeing what took place.

Just moments before, the girls bumped into a pickup truck before driving off. The pickup driver followed the girls, also assuming the driver was under the influence. However, he came to the same conclusion. In an interview with East Idaho News, police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku shared more insight into the case.

“The semi-truck driver later told investigators he thought the girls’ car was going fast and may have not braked,” Vainuku said to an East Idaho News reporter. “The car’s airbag went off for the 9-year-old driver, but not for the 4-year-old passenger.” Fortunately, everyone is walking away from this.

What Might Happen Next?

Although this was an innocent mistake, the parents share responsibility for the accident. As minors, any legal case the trucking company pursues may either get tolled or delayed. Because the truck driver may not be at fault, it would be best for everyone involved to retain legal counsel.

If you experienced a similar experience in California, you could turn to us at The Law Offices of Oscar H. Gutierrez. Our personal injury attorney in Los Angeles has won thousands for our clients in auto and truck accident cases.