Earlier this month, the northbound lanes of Interstate 35 near the Oltorf exit were shut down for six hours after an Austin truck accident involving three semi-trucks occurred, spilling fuel onto the highway. According to reports from the Austin Police Department, they arrived on the scene to find one semi-truck wedged against the concrete median and another rig, while the third was stopped behind the pair after being unable to slow down in time.
Fortunately, only on driver sustained non-life threatening injuries. However, this particular section of I-35 has been a hotspot for truck accidents. Last October, two semi-trucks crashed, leaving both drivers pinned inside their trucks, one of which sustained serious injuries.
What are the Common Causes of Austin Truck Accidents?
The use of trucking companies is the most common way to ship goods in the United States. Some estimate there are approximately 15 million semi-trucks that transport almost 70 percent of all freight each year. With such a large number of trucks on the road each day, accidents are bound to happen and when they do, other drivers involved are likely to sustain serious injuries. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Truck Driver error
- Truck Driver fatigue
- Aggressive driving
- Truck drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Overloading cargo
- Malfunctioning truck equipment
- Inexperienced or untrained truck drivers
- Failure to maintain proper distance from other vehicles on the road
What is Being Done to Make This Stretch of I-35 Safer?
To remedy the safety hazards on I-35 near the Oltorf exit, the Texas Department of Transportation is working on safety improvements on this particular stretch of I-35, which will extend the entrance lanes, extend the exit lanes and widen the frontage roads. Hopefully, this decreases the likelihood of truck accidents in the future.
Aaron Allison is a Texas personal injury attorney that helps those injured in Austin truck accidents.
