This past week, Highway 94 was shut down twice when semis were involved in collisions:
On Sunday the highway was shut down for eight hours near Albertville when a station wagon tried to make an illegal U-turn and struck an oncoming truck . The truck rolled and spilled fuel. All of the drivers were treated and released.
In the middle of the week, the highway was shut down in Brooklyn Park when a fish truck was turned over and spilled 45,000 pounds of fish parts on the eastbound lane. Minnesota Department of Transportation hauled the fish away and moved the truck, which took out “a significant amount of guard rail” when it tipped over, said Don Zenanko, transportation specialist for the center.
Semi accidents usually involve more than simple spills. More than 5,000 deaths occur in truck-related wrecks each year, according to a database of truck wrecks compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The database details more than a million accidents since 2000 involving commercial trucks or buses that weighed at least 10,000 pounds. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.
If you are in an accident, make sure to get the names of anyone who indicates they saw what happened. If you witness an accident, check to see if everyone is OK and stay around or at least give the drivers your contact information. If you are injured, seek the advice of an attorney who does that kind of work and who can explain your coverages and rights.
A founding partner with Bradshaw & Bryant, Mike Bryant has always fought to find justice for his clients—knowing that legal troubles, both personal injury and criminal, can be devastating for a family. Voted a Top 40 Personal Injury "Super Lawyer" multiple years, Mr. Bryant has also been voted one of the Top 100 Minnesota "Super Lawyers" four times.
2 Comments
Daniel 8791
Too much inattentive driving recently. Fuel spills and fish parts might next time be a big BBQ or fish fry (with people included possibly). For $20 a person more every three years (maybe more often for commercial drivers), we should all be required to retake driving exams. Maybe that way, there could be a reduction in numbers of accidents.
Mike Bryant
It does seem that way when you get a group of them like this. Good point on the fish fry. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
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