William “Bill” Card
About:
During his life, William “Bill” Card made lasting impressions on those he loved, from his wife of nearly 49 years, Georgia, to his two sons, daughters-in-law, and seven grandchildren.
He was born July 15, 1951, in Indianapolis. He and Georgia were married in 1972 and raised two sons, Chris and Scott. Bill was a family man with a special soft spot for his grandchildren. His family agrees that he was the glue that held them together.
Before retiring in 2016, Bill worked as a general manager of mechanical maintenance on semis. He was also the owner/operator of G&B Lawn Care and Hayworks.
Bill loved the outdoors and sports and, above all else, his family.
Crash Description:
On the afternoon of April 16, 2021, Bill Card was catastrophically injured in a wreck with a semi tractor-trailer. He stopped at a red light in his pickup truck and, when the light turned green, began making a left-hand turn. An 18-wheeler ran a red light and struck Bill’s truck head-on, leaving him unconscious with a severe traumatic brain injury.
Investigation revealed that the semi tractor-trailer had neither stopped nor braked. Twelve days after the accident, on April 28, 2021, Bill passed away in the hospital.
Life After the Crash:
Since Bill’s death, the Card family has advocated for higher motor carrier insurance limits. The truck driver who struck Bill had $1 million worth of coverage — but Bill’s medical bills, combined with property damage, totaled more than $500,000. The insurance coverage was not adequate.
The federal minimum insurance coverage for commercial motor vehicles is only $750,000. It hasn’t increased since 1980. The Card family, like many other trucking safety advocates, believes that the minimum insurance coverage must be raised.
They can never replace what they lost, but they hope they can help prevent other families from facing similar tragedies.