Early this morning, it was reported that two tractor-trailers wrecked and started a blaze when one of the driver’s allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and hit another tractor-trailer that was parked on the shoulder due to mechanical issues. This accident illustrates many of the issues that I have discussed about accidents in general and about tractor-trailer accidents specifically.
When you have a mechanical issue with your vehicle, it is imperative that you pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible, leave your vehicle and call for help. Stay as far away from traffic as possible until help arrives. Not only does this protect you as a person, this protects you from being liable for any part of an accident that may occur from your vehicle being stalled on the roadway as I have discussed in my post about the driver who was held partially responsible in an accident for not being pulled completely off the road way. As I have also discussed in my prior blog post deaths and injuries can result when a person’s vehicle stalls on the roadway and that person, or another person, tries to assist you with your vehicle and can, therefore, create a very dangerous situation that could cost somebody their life.
In tractor-trailer accidents specifically, one of the key points that investigators will look for is whether or not the driver of the tractor-trailer involved in the accident fell asleep at the wheel. If you are ever involved in a tractor-trailer accident, then it is imperative that you seek legal counsel as soon as possible following the accident so that your legal counsel can start investigating the accident soon thereafter. The tractor-trailer investigators are on the scene immediately to begin their investigation as I have mentioned in my prior blog post about tractor-trailer accidents, so it very important that you arm yourself with the same leverage that the tractor-trailer companies do in these types of situations.
In this situation, both tractor-trailer investigation teams were most likely on the scene to determine whether or not the fault would lie solely with the tractor-trailer that hit the stalled tractor-trailer, or whether the stalled tractor-trailer had any liability in this accident. The investigators will look at the driver’s log of the driver who allegedly fell asleep at the wheel. The investigators will also look at whether or not the tractor-trailer that was hit and stalled was pulled properly off the roadway or whether this tractor-trailer shared any part in liability for the accident.
The investigators will also look to see if the first tractor-trailer had been maintained properly since the fuel tanks of the first tractor-trailer started the blaze. The other issue that the investigators in this accident will most likely evaluate is whether or not the load of the tractor-trailer that was hit was appropriate and loaded properly since this tractor-trailer was carrying flammable household cleaners which apparently added to the blaze that was started by the first tractor-trailer.
Thankfully nobody was injured in this accident as this accident had all the elements to be a fatal crash. It is almost a miracle. As you can see from the details of this accident and how the investigation will take place, that tractor-trailer accidents are treated differently than other motor vehicle accidents in just the investigation alone. The investigators will have very specific items to investigate as I have discussed herein; and these are just to name a few.
If you or a loved one are ever involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer, then please Contact Us as soon as possible at 770-865-8654 or through any of the means on this blog page or on our website as we are experts in these types of accidents and we will put you at the same advantage as the tractor-trailer companies. The drivers in this accident were very lucky that nobody was injured as many times this is not the case as we often see catastrophic injuries and deaths from tractor-trailer accidents. We are here to protect you if you or a loved one ever find yourself in this most unfortunate situation.