A fiery trucking accident in Weston left two truckers fighting for their lives. The accident happened on U.S. 27. While the two drivers were able to escape, the dog of one of the drivers wasn’t so lucky. The pup escaped from the cab of the truck, but was then hit and killed by a passing car.
The accident happened at roughly 4:00 a.m. when the driver of one of the trucks pulled over to check his tires. While he was pulled over on the narrow highway, another truck, passing at about 65 miles per hour slammed into the left side of him. Both of the tractor-trailers burst into flames. The accident was so bad that it forced officials to shut down a part of West Broward highway for several hours while officials tried to put out the fire. The northbound lanes were reopened in the morning, but the southbound lanes remained shut until 3:00 p.m. the next day, according to The Miami Herald.
Our Weston trucking accident attorneys understand that these kinds of trucking accidents often produce much worse results. Many times, trucking accidents end up killing people. The weight and the power of these vehicles bring about some serious risks in the event of a collision. As a matter of fact, there were nearly 3,700 people killed in trucking accidents in the United States in 2010, according to the recently-released statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Throughout that entire year, there were nearly 300,000 large trucks involved in accidents.
From 2009 to 2010, the number of fatalities resulting from trucking accidents across the nation increased by nearly 10 percent. For statistical purposes, large trucks are defined as vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds.
In the state of Florida, there were nearly 3,500 vehicles involved in fatal accidents in 2010. Of these vehicles, nearly 200 of them were large trucks.
During the summer, we see plenty of truckers on our state’s roadways and highways. We’re asking drivers of all kinds to be safe and cautious behind the wheel to help to avoid an accident with one of these dangerous vehicles. Review the following safety tips from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).
Safety Tips – Share The Road:
-Avoid the no-zone. Stay out of a trucker’s blind spots. Truckers cannot see you in these areas.
-Calm down behind the wheel. Truckers operate their vehicles much differently than we do. Unfortunately, many of these maneuvers are slower. Keep your cool around trucks.
-Allow trucks with plenty of room. Never avoid an emergency braking situation for a trucker.
-Never hang out on the side of a truck. When passing, do so quickly. Never tailgate a truck, follow one too closely or cut one off in traffic.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a trucking accident in Weston or in any of the surrounding areas, contact Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez for legal assistance. Call 1-800-529-2368 to set up a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights
Additional Resources:
‘Lucky to be alive’: Truck crash on U.S. 27 destroys two big rigs, spares drivers, by Daniela Guzman, The Miami Herald
More Blog Entries:
Aggressive Driving-Related Car Accidents in Fort Lauderdale Successfully Targeted with DHSMV Campaign, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, June 10, 2012
New Rule to Help Reduce Risks of Trucking Accidents in Fellsmere and Elsewhere
, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, April 26, 2012