Seattle, Wash. – Semi-Truck Rollover Causes Major Traffic Disruption

A semi-truck rollover accident created quite a mess on the on-ramp from northbound Highway 167 to southbound Interstate 405, the Washington State Patrol reports. State troopers and medics responded to the scene at about 11:10 a.m. Monday, after receiving reports of a crash.

A semi tractor-trailer rig was found on its side, leaking fuel. The driver was uninjured.

It took several hours to clean up the fuel spill and right the semi, but the roadway was eventually reopened. The circumstances leading to the crash remain under investigation. However, at Bishop Legal, we’ve seen this accident pattern many times before. It almost invariably involves a truck driver traveling too fast through a curve while not fully appreciating the true weight of the cargo in his container. In the picture above, the force involved in the collision scarred the roadway and displaced not one, but at least five cement jersey barriers. Perhaps our theory is incorrect. Perhaps it was a blown tire. Either way, the danger to other innocent drivers posed by this type of collision is significant.

Accident Details and Initial Response

We all know that people can be seriously injured or killed in collisions involving passenger cars weighing less than two tons. Now imagine a collision between a two-ton passenger vehicle and a 40-ton semi-truck. Due to the greater risks these massive vehicles pose to other drivers who share the public highways, truck drivers have to be extra safe. That’s why truck drivers must undergo special training, obtain commercial licenses, and are subject to more comprehensive regulation.

Investigation and Common Causes of Semi-Truck Rollovers

Unsafe drivers cause injury by violating safety laws designed to restrict the hours they spend behind the wheel. They may drive overloaded trucks that are harder to control and cause greater injury upon impact. Or they may endanger the public by not paying adequate attention to smaller passenger vehicles, particularly during lane changes. Large commercial trucks have much larger “blind spots” that pose greater risks on a roadway shared with passenger cars.

The Risks to Passenger Vehicles

The dangers posed by big trucks are made worse, unfortunately, during the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas result in more goods being transported as quickly as possible by truck to stores promoting “Black Friday” sales. Consumers make a risky situation worse when they too crowd the roadways in their passenger cars to get to the stores first for the best deals.

Holiday Traffic and the Impact on Truck Safety

We urge people to consider safer alternatives. For one, is it worth the risk to deal with increased roadway danger (not to mention time lost in traffic) just to save a few dollars on a sale item? Is it not safer and wiser to use the internet to purchase the same item and have it delivered directly to your front door? Remember, “Black Friday” is followed by “Cyber Monday,” after all.

Safer Alternatives for Holiday Shoppers

At Bishop Legal, we’ve seen commercial and industrial vehicles involved in collisions that have changed the lives of innocent victims forever. We’ve obtained millions of dollars in recovery for those people in compensation for their permanent and disabling injuries. But each of those people will tell you that they wish they had never been on the road in the first place during hectic holiday traffic.

If, for some unfortunate reason, you or a loved one is injured by the negligent operation of a commercial or industrial vehicle, we can advise you on the legal framework you will encounter and the best legal decisions you can make moving forward.

Legal Considerations After a Commercial Vehicle Accident

We do this, in part, by thoroughly investigating the accident scene, the vehicles involved, police reports, eyewitness accounts, public records (including roadway accident statistics for the stretch of road involved), truck company records, and other sources of information to prove liability and damages. We review the most recent laws and regulations and thoroughly research the issues to seek maximum compensation for our clients.

You may contact us for a free consultation at your discretion. We wish you a safe and sane holiday season.