Big Rig Crash Starts Fire
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Trucking Accident Lawyer. A frightening big rig crash happened at approximately 4:00 pm on Monday, September 19, 2016. The crash caused a fire along Highway 50 in the vicinity of Sunrise Boulevard. The big rig crash led to traffic mayhem and gridlock along this stretch of highway.
What Happened?
A big rig was driving down Highway 50 at an accelerated rate of speed for traffic conditions. The big rig was approaching too fast towards a green Honda and did not make any attempt to slow down. The Honda had to drive off the roadway to avoid being hit by the oncoming big rig. The big rig then drove right up onto a Suburban hauling a 10-foot trailer. The big rig struck the back of the Suburban and the vehicles were ignited into flames as a result.
Watch Youtube Video of Accident Scene
Live footage: Highway 50 Big Rig Crash Causes Fire Accident 9/19/2016
What Caused the Big Rig Crash?
It is still too soon to know for sure. Authorities from the California Highway Patrol stated that the Honda made a wise move by driving off the roadway and out of the way of the approaching big rig. If the Honda did not move the way it did, it would have been trapped between the Suburban and the big rig.
It is very important to contact an experienced trucking accident lawyer if you’ve been involved in an auto accident involving a large commerical truck. An experienced attorney works with experts that will independently investigate the sequence of events leading up to the collision and look for things like brake problems on the truck, truck driver negligence (speeding), truck driver fatigue (overtiredness), etc. Truck accident attorneys work to protect the rights of innocent victims and recover compensation for their property damage and personal injuries in accidents involving truck driver negligence.
What Type of Injuries Occurred?
According to crews from the Sacramento Metro Fire Department, one person sustained minor injuries but refused to be transported to the hospital for medical attention.
Traffic Mayhem
If you happened to be out on Highway 50 yesterday, you certainly know that traffic was out of control due to the big rig crash and fire. All of the westbound lanes on Highway 50 were closed due to the fire. This incident caused a traffic nightmare for commuters. One commuter told me she sat in her car barely moving along the highway, in 100 degree weather, for well over an hour. Thankfully, the fire was put out right way. The highway did not reopen until about 8:30 p.m.
Top 10 Reasons for Trucking Accidents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration researched hundreds of different reasons for trucking accidents and determined that accidents most often happened for the top ten reasons listed below (from most common to least common):
- Brake system problems – 29 percent
- Traffic hindrances, that include coming upon an accident or traffic congestion – 23 percent
- Prescription drug use – (exact percentage unavailable).
- Speeding, especially in dangerous or inclement weather conditions – 22 percent
- Truck driver not familiar with the highway or road – 22 percent
- Roadway problems – 20 percent
- Failure to stop in order to prevent a collision – (exact percentage unavailable).
- Over-the-counter use of drugs – 17 percent
- Surveillance inadequacies – 14 percent
- Truck driver fatigue/overtiredness of the truck driver – 13 percent
Truck Driver Fatigue
Let’s face it. Overtired truck drivers make more errors. These errors include falling asleep while behind the wheel, exercising improper judgment, inattentiveness, panicking, freezing, etc. Safety legislation helps prevent mistakes due to truck driver fatigue.
Federal regulations currently limit the number of hours a trucker can drive daily. Currently it is 11 hours during a 14-hour driving shift. The driver needs to be off the road for at least 10 straight hours before starting another driving shift. The truck driver cannot drive after working 60 hours for 7 days in a row or 70-hours for 8 days straight.
Proving Safety Violations in Sacramento Truck Driver Mistakes
In addition to truck driver responsibility, the trucking company that hired the driver must adhere to the federal regulations. Truck drivers need to document their driving hours in detailed logs. If you believe that a truck accident happened due to truck driver fatigue or any of the items listed above, our trucking accident attorneys are available for free and friendly advice. Call an experienced Sacramento truck accident attorney today.
Experienced Sacramento Trucking Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Trucking Accident Attorney. If you or someone you love has sustained severe injuries due to a trucking accident, please give me a call at (916) 921-6400 for free and friendly advice. I can also be reached free of toll by calling (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.
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Information Attribution for Big Rig Crash Starts Fire: http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/big-rig-fire-stops-traffic-on-hwy-50-in-rancho-cordova/41737106
Photo Attribution: Wiki Media Commons – semi.jpg
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