Loophole in law let teen drive big rig in crash

[proud2BlibKansan]

Officials work the scene of a Minnesota-bound motor home on Sunday, April 1, 2012 in a ravine off Interstate 35 in northeast Kansas. The Kansas Highway Patrol said the northbound Freightliner motor home was carrying 18 people and pulling a trailer when the driver lost control at 9 a.m. Sunday, and crashed into the ravine. Five were killed.


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/02/3531349/loophole-in-law-let-teen-drive.html#storylink=cpy

JORDAN, MINN. -- A 17-year-old boy was behind the wheel of a semi pulling a box trailer converted into a recreational vehicle when the 57,000-pound rig crashed through a guardrail and into a Kansas ravine, killing five of the 18 people on board.

Adam Kerber's driver's license wouldn't have allowed him to drive a commercial vehicle like that because of its weight and because it was carrying more than 15 people. But neither of the restrictions applied because of a loophole in Minnesota state law regarding private RVs.

The thirteen injured in the crash including Kerber, who was still in critical condition Monday. All those injured or killed were friends or members of the Kerber family.

The crash happened about 9 a.m. Sunday as the family returned from an annual motocross vacation in Texas. Their Freightliner cab and Haulmark trailer broke through a guardrail on Interstate 35 in Kansas and plunged into a ravine. Kerber and another teen were the only people wearing seatbelts.

A neighbor familiar with the trailer said he didn't believe it even had seat belts, which aren't required in Minnesota other than in a vehicle's front seat.


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/02/3531349/loophole-in-law-let-teen-drive.html#storylink=cpy

Related thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/101487789

[cyglet]

1. What are

the laws in Kansas?

Nonetheless, poor parental judgement. I wouldn't let a 17 year old with a learner's permit drive that type of vehicle.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I'm not sure what the Kansas laws are

It doesn't matter though since the vehicle and the driver were licensed in Minnesota.

If it was up to me, the adult who decided this 17 year old could drive this rig would be charged with a crime.

[dems_rightnow]

2. My cousin worked the scene

He's Kansas Highway Patrol. He did what he could until the ambulances got there... lots of ambulances. Bodies everywhere... all young. After he was relieved of what little medical attention he could provide, he sat in his cruiser and cried.

Just a horrific single vehicle crash.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. OMG How awful for him

I know that section of road very well. I lived in Emporia for 5 years and drove back and forth to KC a couple times a month. It's a hilly section of highway on a curve. In fact as soon as I heard about this crash I knew exactly what part of I35 they were talking about. It's a very pretty drive but also dangerous. I can imagine that people from out of state think old boring flat Kansas can't have any roads like this. Not a good assumption.

[Luminous Animal]

6. Does it have a history of crashes?

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I don't know.

I live in KC now and only drive down to Emporia every couple years now. But I remember when they built this section of the highway. Before then, the route was a narrow 2 lane road that was scary - especially at night - but not curvy like the highway is now. More than once, my husband and I have talked about liking the old road better.

[hfojvt]

11. Actually that made me remember an accident an hour before I drove through there

July 17 - Up way too early to drive to Iola. Crowd at the event was kinda small, and (ahem) my opponent took up some of my time, but my message was generally well received. After a short break it was back on the road to Atchison for the Amelia Earhart fesival. Had some congestion on I-35 because of the bus accident an hour earlier. Talked to a number of exhibitors in Atchison and bought some honey. Tried the push-up contest but was nowhere near the record of 63. Did not see a booth for Republicans or Democrats. Not every event needs to be political, but since voting and political issues are important it seems like the festival would be a good time to educate the public on issues and generate some interest in voting.


July 17, 2010, from my campaign travels.

But I never thought that stretch of road was particularly dangerous. After all, no matter how hilly or curvy it is - it's a four lane.

[slampoet]

15. thank him for us.

[bluedigger]

3. There never should have been passengers in the trailer.

As the pictures of the wreckage demonstrate, there is no crash protection, and minimal structural integrity to a trailer like that. All the occupants should have been in the tow vehicle. It was a doomed plan from the start.

[Fastcars]

8. Hard to tell from the pic....

But I don't think the passengers were in the trailer. That is the kind of "bus" I drove for ten years hauling minor league sports teams around. The trailer probably was used to haul toys, dirt bikes etc.... Our bus was a converted big truck with a box built onto the frame rails with 28 bunk beds built into it.

See them by doing a search for Kingsley Coach (since I obviously can't make the link button work)

They are VERY hard to drive and there is no way I would have ridden in one driven by a teen.

edit to fix link.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Yes they were in the trailer

There's been lots of local coverage of this wreck. There were 18 people in that rig. 2 in the cab. The rest in the trailer.

[TheMightyFavog]

10. That's LEGAL????

I know passengers cannot ride in a trailer without seat belts and an intercom connecting it and the towing vehicle in Wisconsin.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. It shouldn't be.

I don't believe it is legal in Kansas. Maybe it is legal in Minnesota.

[Fastcars]

13. Wish I could make the link work.....

If you look at the rear of the cab from the center of the picture to the left you can see that it is a stretched frame big rig with storage bays that run along the frame rails. On top of the rails they basically build a big plywood box and make that the passenger area with a cut-out walk through. This is exactly what I always feared a major accident would look like if I ever dumped a hockey or baseball team. It seriously is nothing more than a reinforced wooden box bolted to extended frame rails.

It appears that the trailer ended up to the left side of the pic and from the stories I have read, and from the pics I see, the trailer was loaded with motorbikes and off-road racing stuff. You can see furniture remains in the wreck behind the cab.

Good pics of one of the conversions here. http://www.desertautoplex.com/web/used/Kingsley-Coach-Kenworth-T2000-Chassis-3-Slide-2003-Tempe-Arizona/402226/

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I don't think it was this nice

[slampoet]

14. 57,000-pounds !!!! holy CHRIST that is more than most 18 wheelers take on average loads!

[Fastcars]

16. 46,000 lbs...

Is what I was expected to be able to haul pulling dry vans when I drove trucks, but they are talking about gross weight and for an 18 wheeler it would be a max of 80,000.

The Kingsley I drove wasn't legal to drive in most states, being almost 6,0000 lbs overweight when fully loaded. The only reason I didn't get hassled all the time is that most states don't weigh buses.

He was probably legal with a gross of 57,000. The bus legal gross was probably 46,000 (12,000 on front axle and 34,000 on the tandems in back) plus whatever the trailer's legal gross was up to 80,000 total for bus and trailer.

[slampoet]

17. I once temped dispatch at a place and yeah,

he wasn't hauling 57k, he was 57k gross weight but still that seems completely excessive for anyone w/o the proper license for hauling. I drove some big rigs around the lot just to see if i could back then, but I was 27.


Also this kid was out of state and HOW many miles from home? yikes.

[Fastcars]

18. And these conversions are terrible drivers.

They don't handle or stop near as good as a semi-truck and trailer do.

I would much rather have an inexperienced driver in a big rig than one of these. Not that I much relish the though of inexperienced driver in either.