Overturned Truck on I-80 Causes Traffic Jams in Berkeley
I’m Ed Smith, a truck accident lawyer in Berkeley. Traffic in Berkeley was stalled on Interstate 80 Wednesday due to an overturned truck near Ashby Avenue just before the University Avenue off ramp.
What Happened in Berkeley Wednesday Morning
At about seven in the morning, a semi truck traveling east on I-80 hit several barrels on the right side of the highway in the area of Gilman Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.This caused the semi to rollover onto the highway, with smoke emanating from the big rig. The accident caused the roadway to become littered with debris, leaving two traffic lanes blocked. A Sig Alert was put out alerting drivers to avoid the area.
Aftermath of the Accident
According to authorities, the driver of the semi was not injured. No other injuries were reported. Videos have surfaced showing disgruntled drivers making u-turns on the highway, and some were leaving on on-ramps. A Nixle alert was released before noon, telling drivers of the conditions on I-80 and warning of delays on city streets in West Berkeley due to congestion after traffic was rerouted to the city. The two lanes blocked on I-80 were open to traffic at approximately 3:00 p.m.
Reasons a Large Truck Overturns
The reasons a truck overturns was studied by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. They found that rollovers were caused by:
- Speed: In the large truck causation study, the failure of drivers to correct speed for the road, particularly on curves, was responsible for 50 percent of rollovers. This happened most frequently on ramps.
- Cargo: Heavy loads or those not securely fastened or those placed high in the cargo area have a significant effect on rollover as compared to other types of accidents. This happens most often on curves.
- Brakes: Poorly maintained brakes can make it more difficult for the driver to avoid a rollover. This happens at intersections, curves and when traveling down a steep decline.
- Distraction: Distraction, whether by using a cell phone, talking on a CB radio or looking at a GPS monitor all distract a driver from the roadway and increase the number of accidents.
- Fatigue: Sleepiness is a major contributor to rollovers. In some instances a driver leaves the road and rolls over or the truck sways into another lane with the driver overcorrecting, causing a rollover.
- Inattention: Inattention is involved in about 10 percent of rollover accidents.
- Steering: Drivers fail to control steering.
- Overcorrecting: Generally, overcorrecting involves steering in one direction and overcorrecting by steering too much in another, robbing the truck of stability. This may happen when a trucker falls asleep at the wheel.
Dangers of Rollover Accidents
Rollovers happen less frequently than other types of accidents (usually one percent), yet they are responsible for 33 percent of the deaths. In the year 2015, 22,543 people died on the road, and 7,210 died due to a rollover.
Roof Strength and Rollover Deaths
A study by the Society of Automotive Engineers showed that when a rollover occurs, the roof of the vehicle buckles if the roof strength is not adequate, causing contact with the occupants inside, resulting in head injury. According to an insurance institute study, strong roofs were able to help prevent passenger ejection by maintaining the integrity of the front windshield and other windows and decrease the risk to occupants in the vehicle.
Berkeley Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a truck accident lawyer in Berkeley. Rollovers, particularly by big trucks, can be devastating if other, smaller vehicles are involved. When that happens, the occupants of a passenger vehicle may be injured or die. This is a time when you need an attorney to talk to and to help you deal with insurance companies and legal issues related to the accident. I am ready with friendly advice without a charge. Call (510) 631-0200 or (800)-404-5400.
I’ve practiced law in California for 35 years, helping Berkeley and Northern Californians get the compensation they need for accidents involving catastrophic injuries, pedestrian accidents and wrongful death cases.
The financial cost associated with an accident can make people choose between getting well or going into debt when they are not compensated for the damages. I don’t think victims should have to make that choice. Fighting for my client’s rights is a big part of my practice. That spirit has earned me a place in a group of trial lawyers who have secured compensation of one million dollars or more. Check out www.milliondollaradvocates.com to find out more. I am a California member.
Get to know what previous clients thought of me, my legal team and my practice by looking at Yelp, Google and Avvo, a legal site. You are on my website www.autoaccident.com right now. Enjoy browsing to see even more information.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/squad-car-police-lights-city-urban-1209719/
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