July 30, 2015- Chesterfield, VA
Both directions of Interstate 95 in Chesterfield County were gridlocked yesterday after a truck loaded with about 30,000 to 35,000 pounds of dry ice overturned near the Hopewell exit
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the driver was transported to Chippenham Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation by the Virginia State Police into the cause of the single-vehicle accident is ongoing.
According to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 3,964 people killed and an estimated 95,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks (any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds) in 2013 alone. During that same year, an estimated 342,000 large trucks were involved in police-reported traffic crashes nationwide.
Tractor-trailers and other large commercial vehicles are generally unwieldy due to their size, the speed at which they travel, and the long distances they cross. As the weight of a truck’s cargo increases, so too does the difficulty of operation. Overloaded trucks are unable to brake quickly or maneuver suddenly, making it all but impossible for truck drivers to react quickly to changes in traffic flow or road conditions.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) limits the amount of cargo a truck can transport in a single load to a total weight of 80,000 pounds, with a maximum of 20,000 pounds per axle. Despite these regulations, the temptation exists for individual truckers and transportation companies alike to overload vehicles to maximize profit.
The pressure from management, clientele, and sometimes even co-workers can lead truckers to engage in this highly dangerous practice. Overloaded trucks are much more likely to “jackknife,” roll-over, or run off the road, all of which can lead to serious injury. If you sustained injuries as a result of a single-vehicle truck accident, call the experienced personal injury attorneys at ReidGoodwin today to schedule a legal evaluation.