Two die in accident with UPS vehicle.

[SouthCal]

HOUSTON - All lanes of Highway 249 were brought to a near standstill after a fatal car accident involving a UPS delivery truck.


The crash happened just after 9 a.m. Tuesday on Tomball Parkway at Greens Road.
According to the Houston Fire Department, two people in a sedan were killed in the crash. Aerial views from SkyFox showed a UPS delivery truck slammed into the rear of the car.


Firefighters were working to put out the flames and remove boxes from the rear of the delivery truck.


It is not known what caused the crash.



Just a reminder to all, please please please be careful.

 

[Raw]

Very sad

 

[bigbrownhen]

Oh my, how awful. Prayers to the family who lost loved ones, and to the driver who has to live with this terrible accident.

 

[trplnkl]

What BigBrownHen said.

 

[ups1990]

Thoughts and prayers for both parties involved.
From reading this article, this lane is a main lane and not a shoulder. Eye accounts said, the car was stopped and had its flashers on. It might be that this driver, failed to realize the car was stopped until it was too late.

 

[705red]

What a horrible and tragic accident. My prayers are with all the families in this accident.



Anyone read the comments in the 2nd link? Pretty disturbing that people think we speed through town and drive wreckless. Probably a few drivers act like this but overall many of us do our best and are careful while we work.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

This was covered during our PCM this morning. The car had stalled in a travel lane. They had their 4-ways on. The thought is our driver was distracted (cell phone, worrying about what kind of day he had, what he had going on that night) and was unable to react and stop in time to prevent this horrible accident.

We had an accident similar to this a few years ago. One of our drivers was following 2 cars on a 4 lane highway with a 40mph speed limit. Car #1 put their left blinker and slowed to make the turn (there is no turn lane on this part of this road), Car #2 slowed but Car #3 (our guy) was too busy waving to someone he saw on the side of the road and was unable to react and stop in time, hitting Car #2 which was then pushed in to Car #1. He is no longer employed at UPS.

 

[NHDRVR]

This was covered during our PCM this morning. The car had stalled in a travel lane. They had their 4-ways on. The thought is our driver was distracted (cell phone, worrying about what kind of day he had, what he had going on that night) and was unable to react and stop in time to prevent this horrible accident.

We had an accident similar to this a few years ago. One of our drivers was following 2 cars on a 4 lane highway with a 40mph speed limit. Car #1 put their left blinker and slowed to make the turn (there is no turn lane on this part of this road), Car #2 slowed but Car #3 (our guy) was too busy waving to someone he saw on the side of the road and was unable to react and stop in time, hitting Car #2 which was then pushed in to Car #1. He is no longer employed at UPS.

We were PCM'd on this this morning as well and a couple of things came to mind when we were looking at the photos. (full disclosure, I went to the links first posted here and saw the other photos as well)
Also, I am not an accident investigator and I have no idea the circumstances behind any of this. Just some thoughts...

It was said that this horrible accident happened on a highway yet I doubt the package car was doing even 50 since there 'looks' like there in hardly any damage to the front of the truck. The fire is horrific, yes, but most of us have seen enough photos of UPS fender benders to know our trucks fiberglass hoods still get smashed up pretty good.

Another guess on my part... Vehicles don't just explode on impact. Either the car had a meth-lab in the trunk or the fuel was leaking out of it after it broke down.

A few of us just figured a few things from the story. 1.) Obviously there wasn't anything close to a space-cushion and the driver was distracted. A horrible thing to have to live with. 2.) Maybe they couldn't get out of the vehicle but why would 2 people sit/stay in a broken down vehicle on a highway with traffic whipping by them. Assuming it was a 65MPH road. 3.) If traffic was starting to rubberneck at the broken down car is it possible that another box car or bigger vehicle was in front of the package car and they swerved at the last minute to avoid hitting the car. The UPS truck had no chance after that....

Just trying to find an explanation for it since we all sympathize with the situation.

 

[toonertoo]

I sent this to work ahead of my self and at the 900pcm, they used it. And gave me credit for sending it in, LOL. I am at the bad drivers pcm at 910 and they gave it again. While I knew which way they would use it, I had other thoughts, quite in line with Upstates post.
The one thing I have learned at UPS is how to drive. And the methods are very good. Some of the other safety crap, not so much. But having driven for several years, I am a very defensive driver (in more ways than one).

My thoughts are, no matter how hard they push us, when we are in that truck, we need to be alert. Worrying about how the numbers will look the next day, trying to making it up on the highway, receiving a meassage, a cell phone call, etc. Behind the wheel is not the time.
Im not saying any of these things were the cause, we will most likely never know.
But anytime the pressure gets to you, and you are taking chances, and being distracted, this could be you, could be any of us. Then worrying about some talking head will be nothing compared to the loss of livelihood, the legal fees, possible jailtime, and the grief of having taken someones life, someones family member. because you looked away for just a sec.
My thoughts and prayers are with all involved.

We had an incident similar to this a few weeks ago on I-80. A semi took out three generations of people, he did the same thing, in a construction zone. He said he just did not see the traffic stopped. Coming around the curve although work area was posted 2 miles back. That eye lead time we all do, could have been a bump, instead of a fiery crash, and people dead.

And yes the comments 705 mentioned were horrible.

 

[rocket man]

make a diad lock truck is running it cant come out of holder. forget you next 5 stops just know your next stop. and cell PHONES SUCK. PULL OVER TURN OFF CAR AND TALK . BETTER BE ON BRAKE OR COMPANY CALL. just a thought.

 

[MonavieLeaker]

make a diad lock truck is running it cant come out of holder. forget you next 5 stops just know your next stop. and cell PHONES SUCK. PULL OVER TURN OFF CAR AND TALK . BETTER BE ON BRAKE OR COMPANY CALL. just a thought.

 

[Coldworld]

What a horrible and tragic accident. My prayers are with all the families in this accident.



Anyone read the comments in the 2nd link? Pretty disturbing that people think we speed through town and drive wreckless. Probably a few drivers act like this but overall many of us do our best and are careful while we work.

probably many more than just a few drivers push the speed limit and drive too aggressively...IMO the reason is pressure from mgt to meet the numbers than just a few rogue drivers who dont really care whats going on in their surroundings.

 

[browned out]

Very sad. We have all had lapses. It is tough to be 100%. You think of something for a second and you pass your stop, or worse. It just makes you refocus. You can not take a second off.

Prayers to all involved.

 

[satellitedriver]

Many peoples lives have tragically changed from this accident.
My heart aches for the family of the deceased and the driver who had to stand by and watch two people burn to death.
I was born and raised in Houston and know how idiotic people drive there. The only place worse is on the Interstate going into Dallas.
When I am behind the wheel, I am always aware that I am on the deadliest place on the planet.
An American Highway.

 

[Signature Only]

Amen Brother.

Many peoples lives have tragically changed from this accident.
My heart aches for the family of the deceased and the driver who had to stand by and watch two people burn to death.
I was born and raised in Houston and know how idiotic people drive there. The only place worse is on the Interstate going into Dallas.
When I am behind the wheel, I am always aware that I am on the deadliest place on the planet.
An American Highway.

 

[tarbar66]

The deceased are probably not even buried and look who posted information on their web site. So sad for everyone involved.

http://www.vbattorneys.com/blog/vb-...awyers-file-car-wreck-lawsuit-against-ups.cfm

 

[SouthCal]

That attorney was hired on 2/28/10, he's not involved in this case, yet.

 

[just interested]

Many peoples lives have tragically changed from this accident.
My heart aches for the family of the deceased and the driver who had to stand by and watch two people burn to death.
I was born and raised in Houston and know how idiotic people drive there. The only place worse is on the Interstate going into Dallas.
When I am behind the wheel, I am always aware that I am on the deadliest place on the planet.
An American Highway.

I was born and raised in Houston, too, and I thank God every day for it because THERE is where I learned my driving skills! I moved to Austin for college and then when I would go home to visit after being in laid-back Austin, I'd have to remember, "Dang! This is Houston. I need to go 85 mph just to keep up with the moving traffic on the highways!" Needless to say, I began driving in the far right lane........since the law of the land is SLOW TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT- or if it's not, it should be!

Very sad incident. Prayers for all involved offered here.

 

[NHDRVR]

I was born and raised in Houston, too, and I thank God every day for it because THERE is where I learned my driving skills! I moved to Austin for college and then when I would go home to visit after being in laid-back Austin, I'd have to remember, "Dang! This is Houston. I need to go 85 mph just to keep up with the moving traffic on the highways!" Needless to say, I began driving in the far right lane........since the law of the land is SLOW TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT- or if it's not, it should be!

Very sad incident. Prayers for all involved offered here.

Every part of the country has an area where the 'worst' drivers are. When I go into Boston ( I try not to) I swear I drive more offensively just to get where I have to go. Every major city is the same in one way or another. I think half of all accidents would be avoided if people wouldn't tailgate. I will make sure to teach my daughters about this when they are ready to drive. It's right around the corner...

 

[browned out]

Anyone from the center where this happened? Do we know anymore now that some time has passed since this horrible accident.