Winter Weather Driving – Landscaping Fatality File

Fatal Winter Weather Driving Accident in Landscaping

On January 15, 2023, a fatal accident occurred involving a landscaping truck during winter weather conditions in Buffalo, New York. The incident resulted in the death of a 37-year-old landscaping worker, David Miller, who was driving a company truck to a job site during a severe snowstorm. The truck, loaded with heavy equipment and supplies, lost control on an icy road, skidded off the highway, and collided with a tree. Miller was pronounced dead at the scene due to the impact.

The investigation revealed that the company had not adequately prepared its vehicles or trained its employees for driving in winter weather conditions. The truck was not equipped with snow tires, and Miller had not received any specific training on how to handle a vehicle in icy or snowy conditions. Additionally, the company did not have a winter weather driving policy in place, and no consideration was given to delaying or rescheduling work due to hazardous road conditions.

In response to this tragic incident, the landscaping company has implemented a comprehensive winter weather driving safety program. This includes mandatory training for all drivers on how to handle winter driving conditions, equipping all company vehicles with appropriate winter tires and emergency kits, and establishing clear policies for assessing weather conditions and deciding whether to proceed with or delay work during adverse weather.