ORANGE, Texas — Tuesday, another accident involving a waste management truck in Orange led to renewed questions about safety on the job.
Three sanitation workers where on a normal service route headed east on Old Highway 90 just after 7 a.m. when a white pick-up driven by a 58-year-old man from Orange crashed into the garbage truck. The two workers on the back, 30 and 40-year-old men, saw the crash coming and jumped clear of the vehicles.
When the truck collided into the waste management vehicle, a flying piece of debris struck the 40-year-old worker and severely injured his lower leg. The injured man was taken to a local hospital.
A spokesperson for waste management released the following statement:
"This morning an employee working behind a Waste Management Residential truck was involved in an accident on 4701 Old Hwy 90. We are working with local authorities and would like to extend our gratitude to the first responders who attended and assisted at the scene. We appreciate your patience as the authorities investigate this incident."
12News spoke with several people off camera who lived near where Tuesday's accident happened. Many of them said speeding down Old Highway 90 is a huge problem.
This comes just over three months after a November accident involving a waste management truck claimed the life of 28-year-old Derrick Cane of Beaumont.
Cane was on the back of the truck on MLK Drive in Orange when he was struck and killed by a Hyundai Sonata.
Sedrick Cartwright, Cane's brother, is a sanitation worker for an unrelated company. Cartwright said it's a highly dangerous job, and drivers must be paying attention at all times to avoid accidents.
"Ya'll, care about these people's lives out here," pleaded Cartwright.
Cartwright explained that while riding on the back of a garbage truck, he is constantly watching out for other drivers.
"Please beware of where you are, pay attention to the road, people are so worried about getting past the garbage truck they don't know what's going on behind that truck."
Cartwright said people are often so worried about getting around them, they forget that they're putting someone in danger.
"Our lives are in danger doing this job, and all I have to say is open your eyes, pay attention to what's going on."
Cartwright said all of these accidents would be avoidable if people would just pay attention. He said the workers will let people know when it's safe to go ahead.
"Wait, it's just a few seconds."
He said the same thing applies for all types of workers on the road, people can't know what's going on beyond what they can see. Cartwright said to treat it like a school bus.
"If they would have hit a car and killed kids on the bus it would be way different than the whole situation it is now, and it's the same thing, really."
When you get behind the wheel, Cartwright said you are responsible for what happens.
"It's not a toy, so when you hop in that car, have your mind right, leave that cell phone alone."
Cartwright's thoughts are with the family of the worker injured in Tuesday's accident.
"Prayers to the family that's going through this, because it's tough, it's rough."
Cartwright and the rest of Cane's family continue to wait for answers. Orange Police haven't taken any action against the driver that hit Cane. Toxicology results have been delayed, they're awaiting the results.
"The Lord has it, and I'm going to put it in His hands, because right is right, wrong is wrong."
No one else involved in Tuesday's accident was injured. Police have not released the names of those involved, or what may have caused the crash.