Truck Accident On Highway 4 in Antioch
California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued a Sig-alert on Thursday, November 14, shortly after they received a report of a two-vehicle collision blocking traffic from at least one lane of a Highway 4 connector, said authorities. It was slightly past 6:00 p.m. when officers were dispatched to the accident that reportedly occurred on a connector between eastbound Highway 4 and southbound Highway 160. When officers got to the scene, they saw that the crash involved a truck towing a Gooseneck horse trailer and a passenger car. As a result of the aftermath, officers also found traffic to be substantially backed up.
There were some initial reports made that Contra Costa County animal service authorities had responded to the scene of the crash to remove a horse’s body in the trailer being towed. Damian Cistaro, CHP Officer, said that these reports could not be confirmed as of Thursday night. No update has been readily available. The Sig-alert issued by CHP officers was in effect at approximately 6:45 p.m., as they urged the public to stay away from the area and take alternative routes. The alert was lifted just over an hour later at around 7:51 p.m.
Reasons for Truck Collisions Caused by a Passenger Vehicle Driver
It is somewhat commonly the case that a truck vs. passenger car accident is caused by the passenger vehicle. Below are some of the unsafe driving behaviors committed by drivers in the proximity of a truck driver that leads to a collision:
- Driving in the danger zones – the area beside and behind a commercial truck that significantly restricts the truck driver’s visibility.
- Abruptly switching lanes in front of a truck – even more dangerous if you fail to use your turn signals.
- Improperly merging into traffic, forcing a commercial truck to maneuver or hit the brakes quickly.
- Failure to speed up or slow down when a truck initiates a merge or lane switch.
- Pulling into oncoming traffic in front of a truck without sufficient acceleration.
Reasons for Truck Collisions Caused by Truck Drivers
For the most part, it is fair to say that truck drivers are talented, patient drivers. There is some obvious danger that is inherent to being a driver in the trucking industry: the weight and size of these vehicles. The average passenger car weighs about 2.5 tons. On the other hand, a cargo truck can weigh up to 40 – 50 tons. Below are some common reasons that truck drivers cause an accident:
- Inadequate training in regards to safety concerns, defensive driving, and driving techniques.
- Unrealistically high expectations and time-restrictive schedules enforced by trucking companies, making the trucker feel rushed to arrive at their destination on time.
- Truck malfunction, most commonly exemplified as brake failure, tire problems, and blowouts.
- Truck driver fatigue, as they can be on the road for up to 14 hours on a single day – that’s more than half of an entire day!
Antioch Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Antioch personal injury lawyer. There are very few things more heartbreaking than getting critically injured or even killed in an accident that was at the fault of another. If you or someone in your family has been affected by a situation similar to the one described above, I encourage you to call me for my free and friendly advice at (925) 428-5220 or (800) 404-5400.
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