This was one bizarre case where thankfully only the trucker was hurt, but it could have turned out worse.
Those big rigs you see on the highways across the nation carry anything ¨C literally ¨C and in this case the truck involved in this accident was packing ammunition. The trucker had to be hoping he would not get into an accident. One needs to be careful what they wish for, as sure enough, the driver was involved in a wreck.
The UPS 18-wheeler actually jack-knifed and burst into flames in the northbound lane of the highway. How did this happen? The driver was distracted just moments before the accident. Whether distracted meant he was on the cell phone, texting, using his computer, playing a computer game, picking something up off the floor or drifting off to sleep will be the subject of an intense investigation.
EMS crews and other support emergency workers, such as fire trucks and police cars were on the scene in minutes. They were marshaling to get maximum access to get the driver out of the wreck when the worst thing you could think of happened; a bullet exploded and streaked towards a fire truck, ricocheting off its side. After everyone picked themselves up off the ground, rescue efforts continued unabated. Luckily, there were no serious injuries and the trucker was listed in good condition with minor injuries.
This accident would have been a lot worse than it was and could have involved an explosion. The point of this case is that truckers are handling big rigs while driving negligently and the results are not always as fortunate as in this case. Driving while distracted is dangerous and in other cases, innocent people have paid with their lives for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It goes without saying that the trucker needs to have some common sense and not only follow the rules, but drive with safety in mind. In this instance, whatever he was doing before he jack-knifed his rig was utterly irresponsible. The on board black box will tell its story when it is recovered, and the police will take the matter from there.
But for the fate of being on the road in the early hours of the morning when traffic was light, this truck with its load of ammunition could have caused a whole other serious problem by erupting into a deadly fireball filled with projectiles that could maim or kill. Think what might have happened had the truck been hauling dynamite, gelignite or other highly volatile chemicals.
Being involved in an accident with a tractor trailer is something few people survive, and those that do often find their lives a mere shadow of what they once were. They typically require ongoing and extensive medical care for the rest of their lives. If you have been in a road wreck with one of these big rigs, do not hesitate to call an Austin personal injury lawyer with experience in resolving these kinds of cases. You will need compensation to survive and someone to stand up for your rights. An Austin personal injury lawyer is the answer.
Robert W. Lee is an Austin personal injury lawyer for The Lee Law Firm. If you need an Austin personal injury lawyer, contact an Austin personal injury attorney from The Lee Law Firm. Visit RWLeelaw.com.
