When a fatal accident takes the life of a loved one in Pennsylvania, those left behind are often tortured by thoughts of what might have been. What if she had left work a few minutes later? What if they had chosen to take a cab instead of drive? A sudden loss can seem impossible to reconcile with any form of reason, and when that loss is due to an act of negligence on the part of another, the grieving process can involve accepting a sense of injustice.

A recent chain-reaction accident has left several families struggling with these issues. On a recent Thursday afternoon, police say that three trucks were travelling on I-83 in York County when they encountered a mattress that fell from another vehicle. A service truck slowed to attempt to avoid the mattress. A second service truck was behind that vehicle, and also slowed.

As a result, the driver of a tractor-trailer was unable to avoid slamming into the rear of the second truck, causing that vehicle to crash into the first truck and catch on fire. The driver of the second or middle truck was killed as a result of the force of the collision. The drivers of the other two vehicles were also injured in the crash, and were hospitalized.

As of the time of this report, at least three families are left reeling from the aftermath of this terrible crash. As they struggle to come to terms with their new realities, questions of how and why are likely at the forefront. When a Pennsylvania driver makes the decision to transport oversized items, he or she also assumes responsibility for assuring that those items are secure and allow for safe operation of the vehicle. In this case, one person’s apparent act of negligence in properly securing a mattress has led to a tragic outcome for multiple families.

Source: abc27.com, “Mattress on Pa. highway causes fiery 3-truck crash,” Feb. 22, 2013