The Danger of Cargo Truck Spills
On Wednesday, August 1st, an 18-wheeler crashed and overturned near downtown Houston. The incident caused all lanes of traffic to be shut down while crews worked to fix the issue. While, luckily, no other party was involved, this type of situation could have quickly turned deadly.
A Growing Need for Trucks Means Danger for Drivers
Most of the products that get shipped from warehouses and which make their way to businesses (and your doorstep) are transported by 18-wheelers and large commercial trucks. Unfortunately, as the need for these large trucks increase, so do truck accidents.
The trucking industry is one of the largest industries in the nation helping companies meet the needs and demands of consumers. About 70% of products and resources in the United States are transported by big rigs.
Unfortunately, such a high demand forces many workers and companies in the trucking industry to act negligently. Oftentimes, businesses will choose profit over safety and overload one commercial truck to avoid spending money on another. When a load is “over capacity”, it makes the vehicle significantly more dangerous as the truck becomes harder to maneuver with the extra weight.
A spill can mean serious injury – or even death – to an innocent driver. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident caused by a truck spill, contact one of our Houston truck accident lawyers at Lapeze & Johns today at (713) 739-1010 for a free consultation.
It’s important to always be aware of truck drivers on the road so that you and your family can avoid an accident that could have life-altering outcomes.
Top Reasons for Cargo Spills
According to a study conducted by the Texas Department of Transportation, there are quite a few causes that lead to cargo spills. Those causes include:
- Unforeseen issues such as tire blowouts or engine failure leading to loss of control
- Surrounding vehicles drifting into the lane in front of a truck or vice versa
- Poorly maintained roads
- Poor road conditions due to weather
- The wrong-sized truck used for too large of a load
- Speeding
- Poorly secured loads resulting in shifting cargo
- Overloaded trucks; failed to comply with its regulations
- Turning too quickly
- Sudden braking or complete stops from vehicles in front of trucks
- Miscellaneous objects in the road (i.e. construction debris)
- Tired drivers
Be Careful of Hazardous Spills
Some accidents can include hazardous waste spills. It very common that trucks transport flammable liquids such as gas and oil, which could be extremely dangerous and potentially deadly.
The truck accident lawyers here at Lapeze & Johns are dedicated to helping victims of various trucking accidents. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident because of a cargo spill that resulted in injury or death, contact our semi-truck accident lawyers here at Lapeze & Johns for a free consultation.
