Parkway North Tractor-Trailer Crash Impacts Morning Commute

OHIO TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – A tractor-trailer accident on the Parkway North had a major impact on traffic Wednesday morning.

The accident happened about a mile north of the Camp Horne Road exit.

A tractor-trailer traveling north lost control and crashed through the guardrail in the median. According to police, the truck was traveling too fast for the conditions.

KDKA's Christine D'Antonio Reports:

The driver told State Police that he hit a slick spot, potentially ice, when he was going around a curve and then lost control.

Guide wires and rails stopped the truck from heading into the southbound lanes of traffic when the truck crossed into the median.

Firefighters say the truck's axles were entangled with the wires, which likely saved the lives of the driver and other commuters.

"Those wires, many calls that we respond to they really do prevent the vehicle from crossing into oncoming traffic. They seem to help a lot," Ohio Township Firefighter Justin Klingenberg said.

"So, in this case, as the cable envelops the vehicle, it actually stops it," added Todd Kravits, PennDOT District 11 traffic engineer.

KDKA's John Shumway Reports:

PennDOT has been installing cable median barriers on all the parkways and Route 28 over the last eight years.

"What it's designed to do is catch that vehicle and prevent it from crossing over the roadway where it could hit another vehicle and cause a catastrophic crash where fatalities could be involved," said Kravits.

As a result of the crash, the left lane on the inbound side of the road was closed.

The 68-year-old driver was not injured in the crash.

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