Amazon Truck Crashes on Interstate 85 in Fair Play, South Carolina (SC)

FAIR PLAY, SC- Independentmail.com writes that a large Amazon truck crashed this week in Fair Play, South Carolina. The large vehicle reportedly crashed on a bridge, with the cabin becoming disconnected from the trailer. The early morning wreck required assistance from the South Carolina Department of Transportation as well as State Troopers. Two cranes were on the scene for hours working to remove the wreckage.*

Traffic in the area, which is largely coming in from Georgia, was redirected to avoid the scene. 

Large truck crash deaths rose by about one percent in 2019, even as all other categories declined. These massive vehicles pose a threat to others on the road, and in most situations, the victims of large truck crashes are the occupants of smaller vehicles that were on the road with trucks. Part of the issue is the size difference as large trucks are between twenty to 30 times as heavy as these other automobiles. One of the many other issues is braking capabilities because it takes trucks a much greater distance to stop than is required by smaller vehicles.

The difference in stopping distances is even greater when a road is slick, or the brakes on the truck are not working well. 

Of course, with the long hours truckers are expected to spend behind the wheel, fatigue can also play a major role in large truck crashes. Regulations allow these motorists to travel up to eleven hours in a single stretch. Studies indicate that when truck drivers spend such long periods of time behind the wheel, they are in danger of being involved in a collision. 

Poorly maintained vehicles also increase the risk of a truck accident. Brakes are the most common defect identified after a wreck. 

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 a 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.independentmail.com/picture-gallery/news/2020/08/21/photos-amazon-prime-truck-wreck-85-fair-play-sc/3408989001/

https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/large-trucks

https://www.ttnews.com/articles/fatalities-crashes-involving-trucks-increased-2019-nhtsa-estimates