Big Rig Loses Load and Rolls Over on Highway
A big rig collision in Sacramento caused two injuries on January 10 when the vehicle experienced a rollover. The accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. along Highway 99 northbound at the connector for Highway 50. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) incident report said that the tractor-trailer was transporting a pipe that weighed 40,000 pounds when it rolled over onto its side.
Big Rig Collision Occurs When Driver Loses Control of the Vehicle
According to the report filed by police, the driver realized the big rig was going out of control as he was making a turn at the connector. Although he attempted to stabilize the vehicle, he was unsuccessful and it crashed. The driver of the big truck as well as another passenger received minor injuries as a result of the collision.
Traffic Stopped for the Night While Accident Scene Cleared
A Caltrans repair crew had to be called to the accident site to make repairs on a guardrail that had been damaged. The big rig was taken off the roadway, and crews sent to reload the pipe onto a truck to remove it from the highway. Northbound Highway 99 remained shut down overnight while the big rig collision site was cleared.
Causes of a Big Rig Collision
In the above accident, no other vehicles were involved, and the injuries occurred to the driver and a passenger. However, many times, a big rig collision causes serious injuries to those in passenger vehicles. Some of the reasons for a big rig collision include:
- Poorly trained driver: Because of the long-time trucker shortage, some companies have been hiring employees who are not experienced in handling a big rig. Due to differences in size, weight and handling, accidents involving these drivers are not uncommon.
- Blind-spot accidents: Because there are big blind-spots all the way around a big rig and the trailer it is pulling, an accident can happen if the driver is speeding, stops fast or changes lanes without checking for other motorists.
- Underride/Override accidents: An underride big rig collision can occur if the truck suddenly stops and another vehicle is tailgating from behind. An override can occur if the trucker is speeding and can’t stop in time to avoid going over another, smaller car. These accidents are often fatal or result in serious injuries.
- Bad brakes: A large percentage of accidents involving a big rig are due to bad brakes. Although brakes may fail because of a lack of maintenance, defects in the braking system can also cause a big rig collision. When a defect is the cause, an auto product liability claim can be placed against the manufacturer.
- Disobeying state and federal regulations: Truckers are bound by state and federal regulations regarding the hours on which they can be on the road and take mandated rest breaks. The electronic logging device on the vehicle can be checked to see if regulations were broken by the driver.
- Lack of proper maintenance: Independent drivers are responsible for the upkeep of their vehicles. If a company owns the truck, they are responsible for performing regular maintenance to keep them in good condition. If the lack of maintenance causes a big rig collision, the driver and/or company can be held liable for accident injuries.
Sacramento Big Rig Accident Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, and I am a Sacramento big rig accident lawyer. When your injuries were caused by a truck driver or because the company was negligent, you may be able to place a claim to recover compensation. Contact us for our free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. We can be reached online also.
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The injury lawyers at AutoAccident.com have helped people recover compensation for their truck accidents as well as all other types of traffic collisions since 1982.
Photo attribution: Image by Denise McQuillen from Pixabay
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