Accidents involving large tractor-trailers on our North Carolina roads can be deadly. A compact car or even an SUV are no match for an 18-wheeler that is traveling at high speeds on the highway.
Over the weekend, a tractor-trailer overturned on Interstate 240 after police reported that the driver of the truck had been speeding. Fortunately, no one was injured in the truck accident, but even with no injuries reported, it took crews about five hours to clear the wreck because the truck driver had also failed to properly secure the load his truck was hauling.
According to reports, the accident happened shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. The truck driver was speeding when his vehicle suddenly overturned on the interstate. The westbound lanes of the road were closed for several hours while crews cleared resin that had spilled from the truck.
While investigating the incident, police discovered that the driver had failed to secure the truck’s load. Police said that they also found Xanax in the driver’s truck. Police did not say whether the driver had been suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
When someone does become injured in a trucking accident in Fayetteville, it is certainly important that the individual immediately receives medical attention. But it is also important that the family makes sure that the rights of their loved one remain protected after an accident.
Trucking companies and their insurance providers do not always offer fair settlements after serious accidents and may even attempt to blame victims for causing a serious crash. With the help of an attorney, accident victims and their families can make sure that a crash is thoroughly investigated in order to determine whether a trucking company violated any safety regulations prior to the incident.
Trucking companies are required to follow many safety rules and regulations, but as we found out from this recent accident, safety rules are still being broken on our roads each day, putting many lives at risk.
Source: Citizen-Times, “Truck accident blocks I-240 westbound lanes in Asheville,” Sabian Warren, June 17, 2012