Driver dies after hitting toll booth

[wdlove]

Impact pushed booth 14 inches

By Michael S. Rosenwald, Globe Staff *|* June 15, 2004

Salvatore Dibella's co-workers say he was the perfect employee. For seven years, he delivered finished metal, impeccably, punctually, by the book.

''One thing you could say about him was that he always took his time and made sure things were done right," said Dawn Zuben, office manager at Federal Metal Finishing Inc. in Charlestown.

But yesterday afternoon, on his way to a delivery, something went wrong: For reasons still unexplained, Dibella slammed his 2003 Hino truck into a booth at the westbound Allston-Brighton toll interchange on the Massachusetts Turnpike, the State Police said.

Dibella, 48, died, leaving behind several children and grandchildren.

Motorists were stunned by the 1 p.m. crash, which moved the booth 14 inches and split the truck's cab in half, according to a union representative for the toll takers, one of whom had just left the booth that was hit.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/06/15/driver_dies_after_hitting_toll_booth/

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

If it is anything like the Dulles Toll Road, the speed limit is something like 25 to 35mph for the automated tolls. Those withe the Fast Toll speed through at 40 to 80mph.

 

[virividox]

Wow he must have been going really fast to split the cab in half!!!

 

[Counterfit]

Hmm, I'm thinking a health or mechanical problem on this one...

 

[MongoTheGeek]

He could have had a stroke or heart attack and been dead before he hit. Lucky no one else was injured.

 

[wdlove]

My prayers go out to his family and friends. Such a devastating incident. The toll taker was very lucky, that had just left the booth minutes before the accident. The union wants something done to improve safety.

 

[medea]

sounds like suicide.

 

[MacNut]

This happened in Connecticut years back when a person was killed after hitting the booth which caused all toll booths to be removed. I hate the blasted things all they do is cause traffic delays. Thats why the Mass Pike sucks.

 

[Coolvirus007]

Fuso, another japanese truck company, had recently reveal major truck defects so I wouldn't be surprised if this accident was something mechanical. But it seems like this was something to do with the driver.

 

[Abstract]

Or he spilt his hot coffee, there was a bee in the truck...you never know. All I know is that if he was happy, this was probably health related.

 

[Makosuke]

Fuso, another japanese truck company, had recently reveal major truck defects so I wouldn't be surprised if this accident was something mechanical.

It's a bit of a stretch to go from a large-scale Mitsubishi cover-up of recalled vechicles--for which higher-ups are currently being arrested, and the automotive branch of the company may well go out of business in part as a result of, so not exactly business-as-usual--to chalking up a driver in a different brand of truck crashing into a toll booth as mechanical failure.

In any case, assuming it wasn't suicide, you have to feel doubly for the guy--if he was concious at the time of the accident, not only would he have time to think about his impending demise, but running head-on toward a toll booth that might well have a person in it would be a terrible last sight.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

This happened in Connecticut years back when a person was killed after hitting the booth which caused all toll booths to be removed. I hate the blasted things all they do is cause traffic delays. Thats why the Mass Pike sucks.

Actually the demise of tollbooths in CT was due to highway funding. Shortly after the collapse of the I-95 bridge in Greenwich, investigations went on to why repairs weren't being done. The money from the tolls did not go to the CT DOT, but to the general fund. DOT then had to fight to get money for repairs. The Feds at the time did not provide much in the way of funding for the interstate if there were tolls on the roadway. The solution was for the state of CT to remove the tolls and get federal highway dollars.

At the time the CT Turnpike was in such bad condition, the state tried to get away from liability by trying to "legally" closing the Turnpike. They accomplished this by posting signs stating the road was legally closed; yet did not offer any alternative routes. A judge ruled that CT could not close the Turnpike in that fashion.