On Monday, June 9th, a passenger car merging onto Highway 99 in Sacramento while traveling at high speeds lost control. After losing power, the vehicle crashed into a semi-truck, turning off itself. This caused the big rig to veer across the highway and wedge underneath Florin Road, overcrossing. The resulting accident shut down multiple lanes on Highway 99 and prompted the California Highway Patrol suspension system to extract the semi-truck from its wedged position under the highway. Thankfully, there were no injuries.
Dangers of Speeding
Most people understand the dangers of speeding, while many others embrace it. Speed limits exist to protect other drivers, and while most follow the road rules, plenty don’t.
According to the NHTSA, “In 2019, speeding killed 9,478 people.” Speeding also has some other less-known consequences.
These are:
- The increased potential for losing traction and vehicle control
- Increased chance of car crash and severity
- The increased distance required to reach a complete stop
- Increased fuel consumption and decreased fuel efficiency associated with reckless driving
- Reduced effectiveness of passenger safety equipment
Bridge Strikes
This truck accident on Highway 99 in Sacramento was caused by a speeding driver, so the truck driver became wedged under the Florin Road overpass. One important factor to highlight in this incident is vertical highway clearance. The average semi-truck and tractor-trailer height are around 13 feet. Most urban and rural US highways have a clearance standard of 14-16 feet. Some drivers and truckers must stop before crossing under these overpasses, causing significant and heavy vehicles to crash into the bridges.
Cost of Bridge Strikes
When semi-trucks and drivers fail to adhere to these regulations, the damage caused by these crashes can be extremely costly. In a similar but separate incident in Nashville, Tennessee, a caterpillar tanker truck weighing 70,000 pounds struck a bridge support beam while attempting to drive underneath the overpass crossing lower than the tanker’s clearance height. The resulting damage bent the solid steel support beam and critically damaged the bridge’s infrastructure. The damage to the bridge is estimated to be around one million dollars.
Recap of the Crash
The reckless driver, who on June 9th merged onto Highway 99 in Sacramento at high speeds, lost control. After losing power, the vehicle crashed into a nearby semi-truck on the same road. It turned off the big rig’s suspension systems, causing it to veer across the highway and become wedged underneath the Florin Road overcrossing. Thankfully, there were no injuries. Incidents like this, where nobody is hurt, are rare, and the potential for these situations to result in severe personal injury or even death is incredibly high.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident involving a semi-truck and has suffered a personal injury, your best option is to seek out legal help. Our qualified Sacramento truck accident lawyers at Eason and Tambornini have a track record of success. They will work tirelessly to obtain the legal compensation you need to recover from your injuries and get your life back on track. Please don’t hesitate to call us today or visit our website online to schedule your free consultation.
