South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog
Many motorists find it annoying to drive behind a dump truck on Florida roadways because they are difficult to see around and may have loose debris flying off the truck which can create a driving hazard.
A recent St. Lucie dump truck accident has us mindful that not only are these trucks hazardous to motorist but they can also be dangerous for those who drive them. WPTV News Channel 5 reports that a dump truck driver was fatally injured when his truck tipped over into a St. Lucie County canal. The dump truck hit a curb after veering off the dirt road for some unknown reason, which caused the truck to submerge in water according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
This marks the second fatal accident in less than a month involving a dump truck. Keys News reported about the death of a woman who was killed when she was struck by a dump truck loaded with gravel while making a left hand turn. The woman was airlifted from Mariners Hospital and taken to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami where she later died.
Port St. Lucie accident attorneys know the crazed frenzy of the construction industry a few years back made roadways more dangerous with the vast number of dump trucks occupying them. We can expect that again if the economy ever recovers. Dump trucks accidents will be on the rise unless truck drivers and motorists use extra caution in order to avoid them.
In 2008, the U.S Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported 370 fatal dump truck crashes (roughly 9 percent of all large truck crashes). In addition, FMCSA reported almost 4,700 dump truck crashes nationally, which resulted in injury severe enough to require medical attention.
Motorists are reminded of the following safety tips when traveling on roadways with dump trucks:
-Steer clear whenever possible or at least allow plenty of following distance between you and the truck.
-Stay out of a truck’s blind spots. If they don’t see you then they may hit you.
-Never pass a truck on the right. Wait for them to move over and then safely pass them on the left.
Dump truck operators are reminded to:
-Evenly distribute cargo carried in the bed to avoid tip-overs or loss of control because of weight distribution issues.
-Ride in the right lane, especially when hauling heavy loads.
-Safely secure all cargo by tying down or covering to eliminate the risk of debris hitting another motorist on the roadway.
-Walk around your truck or have someone direct you before putting the gear in reverse or tipping the bed to unload.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a dump truck accident in Port St. Lucie, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Margate or West Palm Beach, contact the injury lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC for a free no-obligation appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-561-7777.
Additional Resources:
Deadly dump truck accident in St. Lucie County, by WPTV Web Team, News Channel 5.
Woman killed in gravel dump truck crash, by Adam Linhardt, Keysnews.com.