Drivers traveling on Interstate 95 near the Baltimore Beltway last week may have encountered serious traffic delays in the area just south of Interstate 695, when lanes were closed due to a tractor-trailer crashing and erupting into flames.
Maryland State Police say the blaze started around three in the morning last Tuesday, after a tractor-trailer hit a disabled tow truck, which was being towed away by a second tow truck. Luckily, the driver of the tractor-trailer driver was able to get out of his vehicle before it became engulfed in flames, and no injuries were reported.
A cleanup crew from the Maryland Department of Environment Hazardous Materials responded to the scene in order to clean up some gas that had spilled on the highway. An investigation into the collision is ongoing.
Trucking accidents are an unfortunate part of sharing the road with commercial vehicles. Every year thousands of innocent people are injured or killed following collisions with tractor-trailers and other large commercial vehicles. The sheer size and weight of these tractor-trailers, flatbeds, dump trucks, box trucks and car carriers make the injuries associated with trucking accidents more severe than those associated with other types of crashes. It is probable that the size and weight of the truck involved in this crash had a lot to do with why the collision resulted in creating a fire. Additionally, because the truck that it hit, a tow truck, was also likely very heavy, the physics of colliding into another heavy body also likely played a role.
Driver fatigue is one of the main causes of trucking accidents. Although it was not reported as a suspected cause in this case, the accident reportedly occurred at some time around three a.m. As professionals truck drivers are required to adhere to specific federal and state safety regulations, which regulate the manner in which they drive. However, some trucking companies provide incentives to their drivers that happen to deliver cargo on time or ahead of schedule, which often results in drivers foregoing safety procedures in order to reach their destinations sooner. When this sort of arrangement occurs, both the driver and the company that employs the driver can potentially be held accountable for any injuries and other damages sustained as a result of the driver’s exhaustion.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident that occurred in the Maryland or Washington D.C. area, contact the experienced trucking accident attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers today. Our Maryland trucking accident attorneys are dedicated to representing victims of trucking accidents, and we will fight to recover the damages you deserve. Contact us today in order to schedule your free initial consultation. You can reach us through our website, or by calling 1-800-654-1949.
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Truck Driver Narrowly Escapes Injury in Guardrail Collision, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published August 12, 2013
Baltimore Box Truck Driver Killed in I-95 Accident, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published July 29, 2013