INQUEST INTO MAN’S DEATH ON HIGHWAY 99

The British Columbia Coroner’s Service released an announcement that they will conduct an investigation into the death of a 65-year-old man who was killed as he drove his motorcycle on Highway 99 on Oct. 19, 2013, after a logging truck lost its load into oncoming traffic. The highway was shut down for a further investigation and clean-up after the accident. The British Columbia coroner and a jury will listen to testimony from witnesses as part of the investigation. The jury will submit recommendations in the case, which will hopefully help avoid similar accidents and deaths in the future.

Residents of the area were emotional about the man’s death as they felt the accident was avoidable. Some expressed concerns about logging trucks and other commercial vehicles that were not following standard driving safety practices and the rules of the road on Highway 99, especially related to excessive speeds, and said the problem had been happening for years. The mayor of Whistler posted about her concerns on social media and also wants to improve road safety.

As a preventative measure, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement initiated several checkpoints on the highway in a joint effort to clamp down on illegal drivers and ensure that vehicles were operating with current permits and safe mechanics. Extra officers from other organizations were also dispatched to the sites.

After a deadly accident, the family of the victim may suffer from a number of financial difficulties. A personal injury lawyer might be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit on the behalf of plaintiffs, which may result in court-ordered funds that cover damages suffered in the crash.

Source: The Whistler News, “BC Coroner Investigates Logging Truck Accident“, March 13, 2014