August 5, 2012-San Clemente, CA-The Orange County Register reports that a Wednesday morning accident brought traffic to a halt as a large truck crash spilled debris across several lanes of I-5 near Avenida Pico off-ramp.
The crash occurred around 6:00 a.m. when a truck carrying bags of cement or paint overturned and wound up on its side, spilling its cargo onto the highway, according to the California Highway Patrol. Caltrans immediately dispatched workers to clean the debris to prevent further crashes or injuries, and a SIG alert was issued for the area. The debris was not completely cleared for about two hours, and CHP says that minor injuries were reported. However, officials have not released the cause of the crash at this time.
My sincere wishes for a speedy recovery go out to any victims injured in this crash and my congratulations to the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans for clearing the debris quickly to avoid further damages.
Accident Statistics
Rollover accidents involving large trucks are often dangerous or even fatal for the truck driver and others. In a 1999 study by the University of Michigan, researchers found that ten percent of accidents involving driver injury and 13 percent of all accidents involving driver death included rollovers of large trucks as a feature. By comparison, only one-half of a percent of deaths and less than two percent of injuries for large truck drivers occurred when there was no rollover.
What Happened In This Large Truck Crash
Although the cause of the accident has not yet been released, it is clear that there must have been some factor that led to the rollover of this large truck. Most often, these accidents are caused by another driver who swerves in too closely while changing lanes or who slams on brakes without warning, causing the large truck driver to brake and swerve. The physics involved when a large truck driver brakes suddenly while turning the wheel sharply can often lead to a rollover.
Liability Issues
If another driver was responsible for this large truck crash, he or she will have liability for the damages to the vehicle as well as the injuries of other passengers and drivers. On the other hand, if the large truck driver was to blame, he or she will face liability for the injuries caused to any other drivers as well as personal property damages. If you experience injuries from trucks or other vehicles, get in touch with the Orange County Truck Accidents Lawyers at 800-561-4831.