Over-Correction Leads To Three-Car Accident In Suburban Atlanta

Jun 30, 2014

A three-vehicle accident in suburban Atlanta’s Cherokee County left three people seriously injured late last month. The accident involved two passenger vehicles and a tractor-trailer. Officials with the Georgia State Patrol say that the chain reaction crash began when a tractor-trailer driven by 40-year-old Roman Tinajero drifted off Highway 20.

As the semi slipped off the road while it was coming around a curve, Tinajero grabbed the steering wheel and tried to pull the truck back into its lane. Police say Tinajero over-corrected, which led to some serious harm to several other drivers.

After Tinajero over-corrected, his big rig jumped back onto the road, crossed the centerline and smashed into an oncoming vehicle. The force of that accident then caused the tractor-trailer to jack-knife and the passenger car, a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder, to overturn in the middle of Highway 20.

Another passenger car, a Toyota Corolla, following along behind Tinajero was unable to avoid the wreckage of both vehicles and ended up crashing into the back end of the wrecked tractor-trailer. Police say the driver of the Corolla, Trevor Moyer, and the driver of the Pathfinder, Louella Barber, sustained serious injuries in the accident. A passenger inside the Corolla was also seriously injured. The victims of the crash were all taken by ambulance to WellStar Hospital in Marietta.

Georgia State Patrol says that the accident remains under investigation and that they expect charges might be forthcoming against the driver of the tractor-trailer whose inability to keep his truck on the road led to the accident.

Over-correcting a vehicle is one of the most common and dangerous mistakes a driver can make. This kind of trouble often occurs in inexperienced drivers, especially teen drivers, but can happen to anyone. Over-correction occurs when a driver reacts instinctively and grabs the steering wheel quickly to avoid an accident, or in this case, to avoid falling off the road.

The problem is that when a driver over-corrects, it can actually make a bad situation much worse. This is because the vehicle continues moving forward and the sudden change in direction that results from the turned steering wheel causes the back end of the car to veer wildly in a different direction. The driver usually then decides to over-correct in the opposite direction, causing the car to totally lose control, usually ending up in another lane of traffic or even flipping over. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to avoid over-correction except to practice staying calm in the event of trouble. Practice makes perfect and the more seasoned a driver is the less likely he or she will over-correct.

If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a Georgia car, truck or motorcycle accident and you would like to discuss your case with an attorney, please contact the Georgia car accident lawyers at the Warshauer Woodward Atkins today to schedule a free consultation.

Source: “Three Injured in Accident Involving Tractor Trailer,” by Kristal Dixon, published at Patch.com.

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