Marysville Trucking Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a Marysville truck accident attorney. A trucking accident happened on the morning of Wednesday, December 21, 2016 when a semi-truck got stuck while trying to clear a railroad overpass along B Street in Marysville.
What Happened?
A semi-truck was traveling along B Street in the vicinity of Highway 70 when for reasons that are not known, the driver drove the truck underneath a low railroad overpass. The truck accident caused severe body damage to the semi-truck. Authorities from the Marysville Police Department closed down B Street from 14th Street to 18th Street to conduct an investigation into the sequence of events leading up to the truck accident. Officers have not disclosed whether the driver of the semi-truck sustained injuries from the impact of the collision.
Similar Trucking Accidents
Similar trucking accidents such as the one described above have occurred at the same train trestle. At an earlier time in 2016, a semi-truck could not clear the 14 feet 1 inch overpass. The impact from this accident caused the truck to leak a liquid from the rig. In August 2015, a semi-truck struck the train trestle which caused the rig to spill cans all over Highway 70.
Common Causes of Trucking Accidents
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration some of the major reasons for large truck crashes in the past have included:
Truck Driver Performance
The driver of the truck either falls asleep behind the wheel, is incapacitated by health crises such as a heart attack or seizure, or is physically impaired otherwise. While a heart attack or seizure is unpredictable, fatigued (tired) drivers are now actually regulated. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations provide limits as to the number of hours a driver of a commercial truck can be behind the wheel on the road.
Truck Driver Attentiveness
The truck driver is distracted by something either inside or outside the truck, such as a text message or phone call, or fails to see a situation on the roadway adequately.
Poor Decision-Making
The truck driver proceeds too fast for road conditions, misjudges the speed of other cars, or follows too closely to other vehicles on the roadway. According to a truck crash causation study, truckers can also exceed the posted speed limit because they feel pressure from their employer to get as much driving done as they can within the regulated window of time.
Truck Driver Inexperience or Qualification
To drive a large commercial truck, a driver must be 21-years-old, know a sufficient amount of English to understand and read traffic signs, have a valid commercial vehicle driver’s license, and must successfully complete a truck driver road test. Truck drivers who don’t meet these qualifications may be unaware of adverse road conditions, especially if they are new drivers or don’t speak and understand English.
Truck Driver Performance
The truck driver may panic in a sudden roadway situation, overcompensating his or her steering, and/or exercises poor directional control.
Truck Driver Physical Condition
A truck driver may have zero detectable amount of drugs or alcohol in their b0dy while driving a truck, while on their shift, or any time they have physical control of the truck. According to a crash causation study, illegal drug use, alcohol use or even over the counter drug use was a cause in 20 percent of large trucking accidents.
Condition of the Truck
A truck driver is to inspect their equipment making sure that at all times it is in good working. Moreover, federal regulations mandate that a commercial truck cannot be driven unless the truck driver is satisfied that all the mechanics, including wipers, brakes and lights are in proper and good working condition.
It is important to note that brake problems accounted for 29 percent of all trucking accidents between April 2001 through December 2003.
Also, truck drivers need to inspect their loads in which they are hauling. Both the truck driver and their employer should be sure that the load is distributed properly and secured adequately. At least 4 percent of all trucking accidents are caused by a shift of cargo.
Marysville Truck Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Marysville truck accident attorney. If you or a family member has suffered serious injuries as a result of a truck accident, please call me at (530) 392-9400 for free and friendly advice. You may also contact me toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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Information Source for Marysville Trucking Accident: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article122246754.html
Photo Source: Wiki Media Commons – semi.jpg
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