Truck Overturns on Route 17, Spilling Lemons
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This common saying recently came into play when a tractor-trailer overturned on a New Jersey highway, causing lemons to spill all over.
The accident happened on the morning of August 2 on Route 17 in Mahwah. Police arrived at the crash site and discovered that the truck had collided with another vehicle. This caused the trailer portion of the truck to end up in the southbound lane.
The truck driver, from Canada, told police he was driving on the northbound lane when he felt the trailer load move. He tried to remedy the situation, but the trailer dislodged. The truck then hit an oncoming vehicle.
The impact caused lemons to be thrown all over Route 17. Both the truck driver and the driver of the other vehicle were injured and taken to local hospitals for treatment. They are both expected to survive.
The crash caused extensive traffic delays for several hours. The accident is still under investigation.
Objects Falling Off Trucks
When we’re driving down the road, we don’t expect objects and debris to fall off trucks and land on our vehicles, but it does happen often. In fact, during the period of 2011-2014, there were more than 200,000 of these accidents. Five hundred were killed, with 39,000 injured.
Sometimes these incidents occur due to an unsecured load. In many cases, though, they happen as a result of a crash, with the impact causing trailers filled with food and other products to fall onto the road.
No matter how these accidents happen, they can be devastating. If a driver does not avoid these crashes in time, they can cause damage as well as injuries and fatalities to vehicle occupants.
These accidents are much more likely to happen on large, busy interstates. In many of these cases, other drivers on the roadway crash because they have to swerve to avoid objects that have fallen onto the road in front of them.
One of the two main factors in these crashes is an unsecured load. Whether it is an open load or one contained within the trailer, the driver is responsible for securing the load to prevent it from moving. Improperly secured loads can shift and eventually fall off the truck and onto the road. Resulting debris can directly strike vehicles or land on the road, causing catastrophic accidents.
Lack of vehicle maintenance is another factor. Road debris commonly results from vehicle parts falling off the truck or trailer. Poor tire maintenance is primarily to blame, with blowouts common. Flying tire rubber can either hit other vehicles or become an obstacle in the road.
Contact a New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Trucks overturn on the highways all the time, causing debris to scatter all over the roadway. This can lead to accidents, injuries, and delays.
Involved in a crash? Get the help you need from a Morristown car accidents attorney from The Law Offices of Michael P. Burakoff. We can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve. Schedule a free consultation today by filling out the online form or calling (973) 455-1567.
Source:
abcnews.go.com/US/truck-carrying-lemons-overturns-new-jersey-highway-police/story?id=101958565
