As a Missouri tractor-trailer accident attorney, I was interested to see news reports about a crash that could have become a tragic pileup. As the News-Leader of Springfield reported Feb. 27, a big rig carrying mayonnaise overturned on Interstate 44, spilling its slick load across the road. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt in the crash, although authorities were surprised that the trucker was able to walk away. But the accident closed the highway’s eastbound lanes near U.S. 65 for several hours as crews worked to clean up the road. One responder described walking on the mayonnaise slick as similar to walking on ice.
Reports say the truck was carrying mayonnaise in bags for Subway restaurants. However, the driver apparently lost control as he reached the junction of I-44 and U.S. 65, driving through a cable guardrail and into the median. There, the truck crashed through a guardrail and into a bridge support for the 65 overpass. The accident opened the trailer, spilling its 40,000 pounds (20 tons) of mayonnaise all over the highway. Fortunately, all of the drivers following the truck managed to stop before they could crash as well. MoDOT has inspected the bridge supports and decided they don’t need repair, and the driver was not harmed. However, the road was closed for several hours and traffic rerouted as MoDOT cleaned up.
This accident is giving people across the country some giggles at the thought of 20 tons of mayonnaise on the road. But as a southern Illinois semi truck accident lawyer, I know it could have been much worse if the drivers behind the semi hadn’t been able to stop in time. Mayonnaise is slick like ice, as the police spokesperson said; it could easily have caused cars following the big rig to slip, as we’ve seen in recent ice-related accidents. To make matters worse, those drivers would have had very little opportunity to prevent their crashes. That is, the crashes would likely have been the fault of the trucker who drove into the bridge in the first place, but the people in the following cars would have been just as injured. That’s why it’s so important for truck drivers to be careful on the road.
At Carey, Danis & Lowe, we focus our practice on representing people who are victims of serious accidents involving large commercial trucks. Even without a mayonnaise spill, those accidents can be far more serious then crashes between two passenger cars, thanks to the massive size and weight of the trucks. Trucking companies know that — for them, catastrophic crashes are just part of doing business. As a result, they sometimes send lawyers or insurance company representatives to the victim’s family very soon after the crash, in order to manipulate or pressure them into accepting a small, insufficient payment. Our St. Louis trucking accident attorneys strongly suggest that victims politely declined to speak with them until they’ve had a chance to talk to us about their rights and their legal options.
If you or someone in your family was badly hurt in a crash that was a trucker’s fault, don’t wait to contact Carey, Danis & Lowe for help. To learn more about us or set up a free consultation, send us a message online or call 1-877-678-3400.
