Trucker in Virginia Crashes into Bridge on US 220 in North Carolina

MADISON, NC- Wxii12.com writes that a collision involving a tractor-trailer shut down US 220 close to Madison earlier this week. The trucker was traveling northbound when he collided with a bridge in the late morning.*

According to the police, the trailer’s roof struck a concrete beam on River Road Bridge, causing the beam to fall onto the roadway below. A man operating a 2010 GMC SUV collided the beam and sustained injuries in the incident. Police charged the trucker for a permit violation and for driving an over-height vehicle. The crash shut down a stretch of US Highway 220 and part of River Road.

Semis weigh around twenty to 30 times as much as passenger vehicles. These massive trucks can cause incredible damage and are challenging to operate. Stopping distances are long for semis, and swerving in one can lead to devastating consequences. Truck drivers, therefore, must stay cautious and alert when driving. However, trucking laws and regulations permit these drivers to travel for up to eleven hours at a time. Traveling so many hours straight can be dangerous because fatigue can set in and cause drivers to lose their focus. It is difficult to measure how many truck accidents are caused by operator fatigue. 

Studies indicate that the risk of a truck driver being involved in a collision doubles for truckers who have been driving for more than eight hours. Some drivers also violate the rules and drive longer than eleven hours at a time. Research indicates these individuals are more likely to report having fallen asleep while driving. Around one out of every five drivers reports falling asleep behind the wheel one or more times within the last month. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:https://www.wxii12.com/article/us-220-rockingham-county-shut-down-tractor-trailer-crash/30702918# and https://www.iihs.org/topics/large-trucks