A semi-truck carrying a huge concrete beam that weighed 150,000 pounds flipped over on the westbound I-695 ramp to northbound Central Expressway. According to a report by My Fox DFW, the accident occurred around 7 p.m. and took the next day to clean up due to the enormity of the concrete beam.
The beam was not secured properly and broke free during the 18-wheeler accident and ended along with the tractor trailer on the highway. It is a miracle that there were no other vehicles around when the concrete and semi truck hit the pavement. Emergency crews had no way to remove the giant beam from the highway so they spent the better part of the night using jack hammers to break it apart so it could be removed.
It is not clear what caused the 18 wheeler to overturn on the roadway.
The Dangers of an 18-Wheeler’s Cargo
When most of us think about the dangers of a 18-wheeler, we don’t immediately associate the danger with the truck’s cargo. However, this incident makes evident that, under some circumstances, the truck’s cargo is exactly what makes the truck dangerous.
Semi-trucks themselves are not all that massive without their loaded trailers. Indeed, most of the weight of a semi-truck is from the trailer and cargo. It is when the truck is connected to a trailer and loaded with cargo that the truck becomes extremely dangerous.
Weight Restrictions on Semi-Truck Loads
Each semi-truck is rated in order to determine how heavy a load it can carry. Overloading the truck can create a dangerous situation for the driver and others on the road because the truck is more difficult to steer, takes longer to come to a complete stop, and is more unpredictable in general.
When a truck driver or trucking company chooses to overload a truck or not secure the load properly, or train its drivers in accordance with the law, it creates a dangerous situation for everyone. Often this can cause or at least can contribute to the cause of an accident. In such cases, the truck driver or trucking company may be held liable for their negligence.
Have You Been Involved in a DFW Truck Accident?
If you or a family member has recently been involved in a Dallas Fort Worth truck accident, you may be entitled to recover monetary damages based on the truck driver’s or trucking company’s negligence. Some causes of truck accidents, such as an overloaded truck, are not always readily apparent and require an in-depth investigation by an experienced attorney and accident reconstruction experts. The Law Offices of William K. Berenson has been helping injured Texans recover for their injuries for over 34 years and knows exactly what it takes to bring a winning case in the Lone Star State. To learn more about how victims of Texas truck accidents can recover for their injuries, and to speak to a dedicated personal injury attorney about your case, click here, or call 817-885-8000.
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18 Wheeler Wreck Kills Driver in Fort Worth, June 27, 2014.