South Florida Injury Attorneys Blog
A massive six-vehicle collision that occurred on April 1 in Miami-Dade County has left one woman in critical condition and countless others shocked by the chaos and destruction of the rush-hour crash. According to an NBC 6 South Florida report, the accident occurred during the morning commute on the southbound Florida Turnpike near exit 25 at Southwest Eighth Street, when a wheelbarrow fell from a pickup truck into the roadway. This caused other vehicles behind the pickup, including a double-trailer semi-truck, to swerve out of the way. The semi-truck lost control and overturned across multiple lanes of the roadway and was struck by several cars. The southbound lanes remained closed for most of the day.
Semi-Truck Accidents are More Dangerous than Other Crashes
Semi-truck accidents cause hundreds of injuries and deaths in Florida each year, and semi-trucks are likely the most dangerous threat to other drivers on our larger highways and interstates. Semi trucks weigh 10 to 20 times more than most other vehicles on the road and are sometimes even heavier than that.
The size of the semi-trailers, especially double and triple trailers, makes all that weight very difficult to control. Most truck drivers are highly trained professionals who drive with extreme caution, but when something falls into the road in front of the truck it can be difficult for even the most skilled truck driver to maintain control. When a truck driver loses control in heavy traffic, his heavy load can become a dangerous weapon. Whether the truck driver is at fault for the accident last week or not, it was the overturned semi-truck that caused the injuries and was at the center of the massive crash.
One Potential Cause: Pressured for Time
Many semi-truck drivers are paid based on the amount of miles that they can travel. This encourages drivers to be behind the wheel as many hours per day as possible, and it can lead to a dangerous lack of sleep. There are rules that mandate rest time for drivers and that limit the amount of hours that can be driven over certain periods of time. However, drivers sometimes find ways around the regulations in order to work as many hours as possible.
This dangerous practice makes some truck drivers more money, but it increases the danger that semi-trucks present to other motorists on the road. There is no evidence that the driver of the truck involved in the accident this month was tired or otherwise impaired, but other deadly truck accidents are caused each year by drivers without adequate sleep.
Victims Should be Compensated for Semi-Truck Accident Damages
When a serious or fatal truck accident does occur, the victims and their families can potentially get relief through a Florida semi-truck accident lawsuit. After an accident, victims should contact a qualified Florida accident attorney to get their case for compensation started off strong. The experienced Florida personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Cecere Santana have handled many accident cases, and we are dedicated to personally serving our clients so that they can get the compensation that they deserve. At Cecere Santana, we represent clients in all kinds of Florida accident cases, including semi-truck accidents. Call us at (800) 753-5529 or fill out the contact form on our website today to schedule a free consultation with our Florida injury attorneys.
See More Blog Posts:
Two Hospitalized in Three-Vehicle Miami-Dade Accident, Cecere Santana Injury Lawyers Blog, published February 23, 2015.
Fatal Left-Turn Accident in Coral Springs Claims One Man’s Life, Injures Two Others, Cecere Santana Injury Lawyers Blog, published March 16, 2015.