Truck accident liability and the causes of these types of collisions can be different from motor vehicle crashes. Their complexity makes it important to obtain help after you’ve been in a collision that involves a big truck. Because of their much larger size and weight, catastrophic injuries and fatalities occur commonly. Having a strong case helps the injured person or grieving family obtain the compensation they need to pay for their financial losses.
Over the years, the truck accident risk has increased around the nation. This is because there are more big trucks, including semis and other haulers, on the roadways. The industry is also suffering from a shortage of drivers. Experts are saying the shortage of drivers is now around 60 percent. This may triple to 100,000 by 2026. With more trucks on the road and a driver shortage, risky behavior may lead to serious accidents with other motorists.
Knowing what causes truck accidents can help the big rig driver, motorists and others stay safe while sharing the roadways. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that 4,301 individuals died in 2017 in collisions with big trucks and countless numbers were injured. Unfortunately, a crash with a big truck often causes fatalities and serious injuries. This can leave the occupant of a motor vehicle, pedestrian, motorcyclist or bicycle rider with large medical bills, lost wages and other expenses. An experienced Sacramento truck accident lawyer can help you get the damages that you need and deserve to cover those costs.
A multivehicle crash occurred on March 29 near Sankey Road on Highway 99. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the accident involved seven vehicles. It started when a car heading south on the highway entered the northbound lanes and collided with a pickup. A big rig, traveling north on 99, also struck the pickup, which caught on fire. A third crash occurred in the southbound lanes, resulting in minor injuries. Traffic was halted for hours as the accident was cleared from the scene. The road reopened at about 10:00 a.m.
A jackknifed truck accident occurred in Sacramento on March 5 along eastbound U.S. 50, resulting in an injury. The accident caused the closure of several lanes at the Stockton Boulevard overpass for a number of hours. The collision happened at about 6:23 in the morning when the truck driver lost control of the vehicle for unknown reasons, striking the concrete barrier. The accident damaged a road sign and guardrail, while one of the truck’s axles fell from the highway down onto Stockton Boulevard. Debris from the accident struck a fence, causing damage, as well as being strewn across the roadway. Hazmat crews were called in to clean up about 60 gallons of diesel fuel that was spilled.
A big rig fire on February 15 along northbound Interstate 5 resulted in the closure of the right lane for over six hours. The big rig apparently caught on fire sometime around 4:30 in the morning and was quickly engulfed in flames. The northbound lane was closed between Hood Franklin and Lambert roads, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) logs. Sacramento fire personnel quickly arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire.
A Sacramento semi truck crash on January 15 left the vehicle partially hanging from an overpass on Business 80. The semi was carrying a load of liquid natural gas at the time, which began leaking. Because of the crash, traffic along Business 80 was backed up to the split with Interstate 80. Drivers were advised to find alternate routes while the spill was contained and the vehicle removed. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that one person was injured in the accident and transported to a hospital with injuries that were described as non-life threatening. It has not yet been reported why the incident occurred.
Accidents involving trucks, buses, and other large motor vehicles could lead to dozens of serious injuries and fatalities. It is important not to overlook these severe collisions. According to statistics that have been released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):
A December 28 Sacramento bridge accident occurred between a bobtail semi and three other vehicles that resulted in one person being transported to a hospital. The accident occurred on westbound Interstate 80 and the Bryte Bend Bridge that crosses the Sacramento River. The severity of the accident resulted in a SigAlert being issued and multiple tow trucks to remove the vehicles involved in the Sacramento bridge accident. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), because one vehicle was leaking gas and due to the arrival of an ambulance, tow trucks and fire crews, the lanes remained closed for more than an hour.
A Sacramento jackknifed truck accident happened along U.S. Route 50 on November 26 that caused one vehicle to crash into it and overturn. It is unknown at this time why the semi jackknifed, however, because of heavy traffic on Route 50, the accident could have involved many vehicles in a chain reaction. Injuries were reported as a result of the collision, but it is unknown at the time of this report whether they were severe. The incident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to determine why the truck jackknifed. An ambulance was called to transport the injured person to a medical facility.
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