Tractor-trailer trucks demand even more concentration from their drivers. The size and weight of the trucks mean that they require additional time and distance to come to a stop and have difficulty slowing quickly from the high speeds common on interstates and highways. If a driver is not paying attention or does not leave enough space between the truck and the vehicle in front of it, slowing traffic conditions can turn into a major accident.
Florida commuters were off to a rough start on a recent Monday when Florida Highway Patrol and local firefighters were on scene at a Nov. 10 accident involving a flatbed semi and a BMW. According to reports, the accident happened on the Florida Turnpike close to the border of Broward County and Miami-Dade County sometime during the morning.
According to officers with the Florida Highway Patrol, the semi jackknifed when traffic on the Turnpike came to an unexpected stop and hit the BMW. The impact pushed both the semi and the BMW against the guardrail and ruptured the tractor-trailer’s fuel tank. The truck ended up catching fire, and traffic was closed in both directions for close to an hour as the accident was cleaned up. It was not clear from reports what had caused the initial traffic slowdown. The semi driver was uninjured in the crash, but the 47-year-old driver of the BMW was treated for minor injuries at Memorial Regional Hospital.
Even a crash resulting in seemingly minor injuries can leave victims sore and stiff for weeks, and some injuries may not be immediately apparent. Whenever a person is injured — no matter how serious — in an accident caused by another party, one of the first steps should be to talk to someone about the available legal options.
Source: Local 10, “Flatbed truck catches fire after Turnpike extension crash” Peter Burke, Nov. 10, 2014