Usually when we discuss semi truck accidents, we’re describing a situation in which one or more people have been seriously hurt, and in which traffic tends to be severely disrupted. In a recent Cedar Rapids accident, however, the noteworthy element wasn’t so much the accident as the cargo that got spilled during the crash — 45,000 pounds of Bud Light.
36 year old driver Travis Dicks, of Wisconsin, was traveling on I-380 North and transitioning on the ramp to Highway 30 West when he lost control of his vehicle. The semi overturned onto its side, sending the massive cargo of alcohol sprawling over the side of the ramp and onto the road. The fuel tank of the truck was also cracked, spilling several gallons of diesel fuel following the accident. However, fire rescue crews were able to seal this breach without any serious complications.
The truck overturned around 7am, and the ramp remained closed until 11:30 am, disrupting and slowing traffic for several hours. Wrecking and recovery crews were on the scene soon after the accident to right the vehicle and prevent more of the cargo from spilling out.
Thankfully, no one was hurt in this incident — including the driver. Still, while the accident does have a humorous element to it, it shows how even the most simple of accidents that hurt no one can still have a serious disruption on traffic patterns. It is important to remember other, more serious accidents in which other drivers on the road are killed or injured by a semi, or in which the spilled cargo causes damage to the local ecosystem — spilled diesel fuel alone is a hazard to people, plants and animals alike.
Still, there is something to laugh about when more than twenty tons of beer ends up spilled across the highway. While thankfully no one was hurt, it still didn’t turn rush hour into happy hour.
