With the number of big-rig trucks on the road, truck crashes can occur more often than not. In Tannersville, Pennsylvania, three tractor trailers were involved in a crash that left one truck driver dead. The accident happened on I-80 where conditions were foggy on that particular day. A trailer carrying concrete walls lost one of the walls off the flatbed. This started a domino effect involving two other tractor trailers in a deadly accident that killed one of the drivers.
Whether a truck accident is due to driver negligence, negligent truck maintenance or defective auto parts, the result of a truck crash can be devastating and deadly. The sheer size of the vehicles involved in truck crashes potentially makes the aftermath of the crash even more difficult to deal with.
Another concern with truck accidents that is not necessarily a concern with car accidents is the cargo that the trucks are carrying at the time of the accident. Many 18-wheeler vehicles transport materials that are otherwise hazardous if exposed to the general public. When these trucks crash and spill those materials on the roadways, the authorities not only need to maintain the accident scene with respect to the individuals involved in the accident, but they also need to clean up the hazardous materials at the scene.
Not all truck accidents carry with them the threat of spilling hazardous materials into the environment. Some truck crashes occur because of other factors, such as weather, poor road maintenance, or even driver fatigue.
As mentioned previously, negligent truck maintenance may be a cause of truck crashes. If this is the case, then the courts may assist in resolving wrongful death claims and other compensatory claims. Maintaining the truck and maintaining the loads that are being transported are important to ensuring that the truck is operated in a safe and efficient way. This also goes a long way to protecting the other drivers on the roadways. If this is not done, then those liable must be held responsible.
Source: ABC 27 WHTM, “I-80 eastbound reopens in Pa. after fatal crash,” Dec. 10, 2012