CBS Atlanta 46
This is one of those heart breaking stories that just gets worse and worse as more is exposed. In June, 46-year-old Samantha Kirby was killed when her car was struck by a dump truck that entered her lane. The dump truck left its lane because the brakes malfunctioned and caused it to pull into the lane occupied by Kirby’s BMW.

The truck was an old dump truck that had not been inspected since 2003 and the last inspection was forged by the owner so he could renew the plates. According to the police report, the brakes malfunctioned and the tires were slick. But the police decided that the rain was the determining factor in this crash.

When I drive, I know that I have the follow obligations to my fellow motorists:

1. To make sure my vehicle is proper working order, especially the brakes.

2. To drive in a manner appropriate for the conditions.

There are no grey areas in these obligations.

The driver of this truck was a city councilman in Hampton, GA, and was not issued any tickets for the crash that took Kirby’s life. Something is wrong with the police in Hampton. Every fatal crash is caused by a series of events and not just one factor like rain. The driver was extremely negligent for not taking care of his vehicle’s brakes. More than likely the truck had a frozen wheel cylinder that caused the truck to pull under braking. The pull would have been manageable at low speeds and on dry pavement.