Vehicular Homicide Charges Against Owner of Truck Which Killed Innocent Man Underscores The Need For Mandatory State Vehicle Inspections - Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Weighs In
As I have noted in a previous blog, some states have decided to do away with mandatory vehicle inspections. As an experienced Philadelphia car accident and truck accident attorney, I have all too often seen the results of defective and mechanically improper vehicles on the roadways which cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities. On December 15, 2009, the part owner of a tractor trailer with faulty brakes that had never been inspected pled guilty to vehicular homicide of an innocent 50-year old man, a third degree felony. He also pled guilty to two summary offenses for putting a vehicle on the road with defective brakes and with brake lining too thin for safe operation. It turns out that this vehicle bore an inspection sticker but the vehicle was never inspected. The sticker had been purchased from a garage in Philadelphia. Both the mechanic who passed the truck without looking at it and the vehicle’s part owner who drove it pled guilty to the vehicular homicide and related charges. All three will be sentenced.
In addition to the fatality, another individual, age 55, was catastrophically injured. The vehicle was carrying a heavy load of vegetables and was in the passing lane and stopped because of heavy traffic but the vehicle could not stop because all ten brake assemblies were so overworked and cracked that the brake drums were close to rupturing according to an expert mechanic who inspected the vehicle. The vehicle hit the Infinity occupied by the deceased so hard that it mounted the vehicle and the driver died instantly from asphyxiation due to massive chest injuries. This accident by an admittedly uninspected vehicle involved four other vehicles.
I believe this situation underscores the necessity for state mandated inspections on all motor vehicles on our highways. To eliminate motor vehicle inspection, as some states have chosen to do in view of the tight economy, will have a potentially far more devastating impact on our citizens.
The Pennsylvania motor vehicle accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily are committed to motorist and consumer safety representing the catastrophically injured since 1979.
