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350,000 Lb. Detached 18-Wheeler Cargo Showcase the Dangers of Commercial Vehicles
350,000 lb. detached 18-wheeler cargo showcase the dangers of commercial vehicles
by lainie.little@thomsonreuters.com | May 1, 2024 | Truck Accident Injuries
A recent semi-truck accident on a popular Texas highway is testament to the dangers large commercial vehicles often pose on the road, especially when traveling nearby extremely small passenger cars.
An 18-wheeler transport fleet traveling on State Highway 36 north of Austin was carrying a massive load that looked to be a large piping system several semi-truck beds long.
The piping system detached from the trailer, crashed into a passenger vehicle, pinning the three passengers inside. Two of the individuals died and one was severely injured and air-lifted to the nearest hospital.
The Temple Fire & Rescue responded to the scene with ten units and two-dozen personnel. Police report that it took several hours to remove the driver from the passenger car due to the sheer weight of the pinned cargo.
According to authorities, the piping system load weighed roughly 350,000 lbs.
Common dangers involving semi-trucks
The above real-life scenario shows what many people in Texas have always known: commercial trucks pose an incredibly high risk of danger on the roadways.
They are much larger than passenger cars, take up much more space on the highway, and often haul loads weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds. An accident involving an 18-wheeler is simply no match for those traveling in a small passenger car.
Rules for commercial truck drivers
Commercial truck drivers and their entities must follow strict guidelines and regulations for this very reason. However, it doesn’t always happen. Beds are often not secured properly or they are overloaded, and truck drivers are fatigued, distracted or improperly trained. These and many other reasons could be to blame for this accident and so many more that occur on Texas highways each year.
Fortunately, victims and their families have recourse options. Nothing can change what occurred and nothing will bring back lost loved ones, but financial compensation to help with medical bills, surgeries, funeral expenses and lost future income can help in the recovery process both today and into the future.