Two-Vehicle Accident South of Elkhorn Boulevard Exit Ramp
A two-vehicle accident on southbound State Route 99 resulted in minor injuries on July 28 in the early afternoon hours. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the collision occurred just south of the Elkhorn Boulevard exit ramp in Sacramento. The vehicles involved in the crash were described as a white sedan and a truck hauling a trailer. After the two-vehicle impact, the trailer flipped over and landed in the northbound lanes. An appliance, said to be a dishwasher, rolled off the trailer and fell into the northbound lane of the highway.
Further Details of the Two-Vehicle Accident
The accident was transferred to Sac Fire by the CHP. Reports from the accident site said the first lane was blocked to traffic due to the crash. The accident is still under investigation to determine who was at fault. There is no word yet whether drugs or alcohol were involved. No arrests were made.
An Attorney Who Fights for Your Rights
Over the past 38 years, Ed Smith has fought for the rights of his clients in all types of car accidents, wrongful deaths, and other traumatic injuries. At AutoAccident.com, we believe that no one should pay for damages incurred by another company’s or person’s negligence.
Our firm works as a team in unraveling the evidence left behind in an accident and uses the legal acumen of our lawyers to resolve our cases successfully for our clients. There is no need to do it alone after a traumatic event. Studies have shown that legal representation results in obtaining greater monetary damages. Besides, our clients owe us nothing until we’ve won their case.
Accidents Can Cause Traffic Hazards
Trucks hauling appliances or other cargo can cause a traffic hazard after a two-vehicle accident. If the cargo is not secured properly, it can roll off the truck and act as an obstacle to other vehicles traveling at highway speeds. Hitting an obstacle at 55 to 60 mph can result in rollovers. In addition, drivers can swerve away from the obstacle and pass into an adjacent lane, causing a secondary collision.
Cargo Securement
According to the American Automobile Association, debris in the road is responsible for roughly 200,000 crashes annually. Of these, 66 percent happen due to improper cargo securement. This causes 39,000 injuries and 500 fatalities. Although the person hauling the cargo and the company that employs them is obligated to secure their load, this frequently does not happen.
Types of Truck Cargo
Some of the most frequently encountered fallen cargo include:
- Auto parts
- Furniture
- Mattresses
- Appliances
- Lumber
- Steel
Accidents Caused by Unsecured Cargo
Unsecured cargo can not only cause accidents due to fallen objects. Loose cargo can cause many other problems that can lead to a traffic collision. Some of the most common are:
- Unsecured cargo can cause a truck to be off-balance, resulting in an accident.
- Loose cargo can result in a rollover due to a sharp turn or high winds.
- Cargo that is improperly secured can hurl off the truck and impact vehicles following behind with disastrous results.
- Large objects falling off trucks can cause a sudden traffic slowdown, resulting in rear-end collisions.
Reasons for Unsecured Cargo Accidents
Overall, unsecured cargo is due to a lack of preparing objects for transport. Not only should the cargo be tied down, but it also needs to be balanced properly. The following steps need to be taken:
- Inspect the truck’s ropes and tie-downs to see if they are worn.
- Know the weight of the truck and the amount of cargo it can carry.
- Make sure the truck is not overloaded. An overloaded truck can have deleterious effects on driver control, braking, steering and speed.
- Make sure cargo is not top-heavy with items piled too high. Top-heavy vehicles overturn easily.
- Make sure the weight on the steering axle is appropriate. Too much weight can cause problems steering and too little caused by objects shifting to the rear can also cause problems.
- Beware of placing too little weight over the driving axle. This can cause the tires to spin.
Investigating a Cargo-Related Two-Vehicle Accident
We send our investigators to the accident site to gather evidence when determining fault. Not only do our investigators use accident reconstruction, obtain videos of the crash and interview witnesses, they also check for improper securement. This includes inspecting the age and quality of the tie-downs and the way the cargo was loaded. By doing this, the investigators can prove fault on the part of the truck driver and the company that employs them.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento
I am Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento. If you have been involved in a two-vehicle accident due to loose cargo, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can also reach me online.
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Learn more about my practice by visiting the following pages:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/truck-18-wheeler-plumbing-cargo-5292026/
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