An elderly Canadian couple was killed over the weekend when the tailgate flew off a dump truck and hit the windshield of their SUV.

The dump truck was traveling south on Highway 400 near Aurora, Ontario when it lost control and hit the center median. Initial reports are that a tire on the dump truck may have blown. The couple's Chevrolet Avalanche was travelling north when the tailgate came off, hit their windshield and crushed them. The driver of the truck was not injured in the accident.

Investigators are looking into why the tailgate came off the dump truck. Witnesses and authorities see this as a bizarre accident, akin to being struck by lightning or crushed by a falling tree. OPP Constable Dave Woodford, who spoke with Canadian media, says he's never even heard of the tailgate coming off a dump truck in an accident.

While people tend to think of trucks involved in accidents only involving 18-wheelers, dump trucks and cement trucks have many of the same traits as semi trucks. They're big, heavy, and while drivers may not ship loads across North American highways, if a driver is fatigued, stressed, or otherwise negligent, the end result is that the smaller vehicle will always lose. In this case, a blown tire may have caused the accident which lead to the deaths, which may be due to a maintenance issue.

However, if you have been injured, or lost a loved one in an accident involving a large truck, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.