Accident on West Side Freeway Causes Minor Injuries
A semi crash involving other vehicles occurred in Sacramento on October 3, resulting in injuries. The accident happened along the northbound side of the I-5 West Side Freeway just south of the Sutterville Road off-ramp around 12:52 p.m. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the tractor-trailer was hauling a load of tomatoes and crashed with two other vehicles.
Semi Crash With Other Vehicles Blocks Freeway Lane
The big rig and a sedan blocked the number one lane on the freeway due to the collision, and a tow truck had to remove at least one of the vehicles. The CHP is conducting an investigation into the crash to determine its cause and assign fault.
Reasons a Truck Driver Can Cause a Semi Crash
Even if a semi truck driver is being cautious, there are still many ways in which they can cause an accident. Reasons for this include:
- Driving while fatigued is a common cause of a semi crash because truckers spend long hours behind the wheel of the vehicle.
- Not properly maintaining the vehicle can lead to an accident. This may be the fault of the independent trucker or the company that employs them.
- Speeding occurs often with truckers and can cause a semi crash because they are hurrying to make their delivery on time.
- Tailgating is a dangerous practice by truckers because they can’t see a vehicle if it is too close in front of them. This can lead to an override accident, which often causes serious injuries and/or fatalities.
- Failing to yield can cause a semi crash, especially if traffic is congested.
- Improper lane changes without signaling or having a clear view of the traffic in the next lane can cause an accident involving smaller vehicles.
Any one of these factors can lead to a serious collision on the freeway, and oftentimes it is the semi truck driver who is found at fault. If you have been involved in such an accident, it is important to speak with an experienced accident attorney who can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Truck Accidents Are Complex
Truck drivers have to abide by state and federal regulations, log their hours of service and rest breaks and perform inspections on their vehicles before leaving and while on the road. In addition, not only the driver may be negligent but the company that employs them. This is one of the reasons you need the services of an accident lawyer if you were injured by a semi truck driver.
The lawyer can investigate your commercial truck accident to determine liability and collect the evidence that supports your claim. In addition, the lawyer can gather all the documentation together to prove your losses and calculate your damages. Those who use a lawyer to handle their claim instead of doing it themselves have been shown to recover two to three times more in damages.
Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, and I am a Sacramento truck accident lawyer. Negligent truck drivers can cause serious injuries to those riding in smaller vehicles when they collide. If this happened to you, you may be able to recover compensation. Call us at (916) 921-6400 if you would like to get free and friendly advice on whether you can file a claim. You can also reach us at (800) 404-5400 or by messaging us online. One of our accident attorneys can arrange to look over your case either virtually or online and give you their opinion at no charge to you.
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Photo attribution: Image by fkevin from Pixabay
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