A couple of weeks ago, I wrote here about a potentially quite serious accident in Kansas City, involving a tanker truck that overturned and spilled hydrochloric acid all over a bridge. As a Missouri tractor-trailer accident attorney, I was surprised to see that another truck has overturned in the same spot — the Paseo Bridge over the Missouri River. According to a Dec. 14 article from the Kansas City Star, the truck was carrying soybean meal that spilled across the highway, causing the road to be closed between 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 14 and 1:30 a.m. the next morning. No injuries were reported, but the driver of the truck was cited for driving too fast. Initial reports that the semi was leaking gasoline were not substantiated.
Television station KCTV followed up Dec. 15 with a report looking for reasons for the two crashes. Missouri Department of Transportation officials blamed excessive speed for both crashes. They reiterated that warning in an interview with the station, saying the bridge is easy to navigate if drivers stick to posted speed limits. However, the bridge is also currently under construction, which means drivers also have to contend with workers, equipment, detours and lane closures. Drivers interviewed for the piece said the construction was sometimes confusing; one driver added that the downhill slope at the end of the bridge didn’t seem safe. Some said they prefer to avoid the bridge altogether, which means detouring to bridges to the north and south, some far out of the way and none attached to an interstate highway.
As a St. Louis big rig accident lawyer, I suspect that both MoDOT and the drivers are right. Speeding isn’t a factor in truck accidents as often as it is in accidents involving passenger cars. But when truckers do speed, they can do far more damage, simply because their vehicles weigh up to 100 times more than the average import economy car. That weight matters not only in a collision, but also in a curve, because it makes it easier for trucks to turn over like these two did. And because there is construction on the bridge right now, drivers must slow down even more than usual. They must also be extra careful about their route and lanes, which may have changed because of the construction, and keep an eye out for people and equipment. Drivers who use the bridge regularly, and professional truck drivers, may be lulled into a false sense of a security by their experience — but failure to take extra care under these conditions can easily cause a crash.
Based in St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., the Lowe Law Firm focuses its practice on representing victims of serious accidents involving large commercial trucks. These accidents can be far more serious than ordinary car accidents, thanks to the greater size and weight of tractor-trailers and the sometimes hazardous loads they carry. For our clients, this can translate to deaths and catastrophic injuries that change their lives, and the lives of their families, forever. When these injuries were caused by the negligence of a trucker or trucking company, our southern Illinois semi truck accident lawyers help clients hold those parties legally and financially responsible for the results of their actions. In a trucking accident lawsuit, victims can claim repayment of all of the costs of their injuries, including any future medical costs and a lifetime of lost income. They can also claim compensation for their injuries, personal losses, physical pain and emotional anguish.
If your family has suffered a devastating injury you believe was caused by a careless truck driver or trucking company, you should call the Lowe Law Firm for help. To tell us about your case and learn more about your legal options, please contact us online or call toll-free at 1-877-678-3400 today.
