Accident on Watt Avenue On-Ramp Involved Overturned Truck and Spilled Load
A big rig accident on an on-ramp to the El Dorado Freeway on August 11 closed down the area for hours as an oil spill was cleaned up. The accident happened near Rosemont shortly before 10:00 a.m. on the southbound Watt Avenue on-ramp to eastbound U.S. 50. When officers with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrived at the scene, they discovered a big rig had overturned onto its side.
Truck Loses Load and Starts Leaking Oil After Big Rig Accident
The rig had been hauling a full load of bricks, which had spilled out in the crash. In addition, the truck was leaking fluid from several areas. Both of the drivers managed to get out of the semi following the big rig accident, however, one was reportedly transported to UC Davis Medical Center for evaluation and additional treatment after being assessed by emergency responders with the Sacramento Fire Department.
Ramp Closed to Traffic Due to Cleanup and Removal
Cleanup after the big rig accident was delayed somewhat by the removal of the vehicle and waiting for a sand truck to handle the oil spill in the roadway. The ramp was closed down to traffic while cleanup commenced, and an investigation into the cause of the crash was conducted by CHP investigators. The on-ramp was finally cleared at about 1:19 p.m.
Accidents Involving Big Rigs
An accident involving a tractor-trailer or other large commercial vehicle can end up causing devastating injuries and fatalities due to its much larger weight and size. In addition to broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, other serious traumas aren’t unusual. Some of the ways in which a big rig accident can occur that impacts other vehicles sharing the roadway include:
- Rollover collisions: Anyone who is involved in a rollover faces a higher risk of injuries. However, when a tractor-trailer, tanker truck, or other large vehicle rolls over, it often impacts vehicles nearby. Many of these types of accidents are caused by an inexperienced driver, lack of proper maintenance, speeding, and other negligent acts.
- Blind spot collisions: Because a commercial vehicle often has blind spots all the way around, the trucker has to be attentive to smaller passenger vehicles in front, behind and on the sides. If the driver changes lanes when a passenger vehicle is riding on their side, a terrible big rig accident can occur.
- Wide swings: Because a big commercial vehicle is long and more difficult to drive, the trucker often has to swing into the next lane when turning a corner. Unfortunately, the truck may end up crashing into a passenger vehicle in the next lane.
- Underride/override collisions: These types of accidents often occur with tractor-trailers. Although many of them have protective guards in the back to prevent an underride accident, when they do happen, fatalities and traumatic injuries are the common results.
- Jackknife collisions: A jackknife occurs when the tractor is moving slower than the trailer it is pulling. Often, this is caused by speeding. As the trailer moves around to the side, it can adversely impact other vehicles.
Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento truck accident lawyer. When your accident injuries were caused by a big rig, you might be able to claim fair compensation to pay for your medical bills and other losses. Call us at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for our free and friendly advice. An online form to message us is available too.
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Our legal team has helped people obtain the compensation they deserve since 1982 in areas such as traffic accidents, truck collisions, wrongful deaths, and others.
Photo attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/truck-semi-truck-semi-truck-desert-1499377/
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