When Cargo Spills Turn Deadly

By Grant Law Office on January 2, 2021

The American economy relies on semi-trucks and their drivers. Without them, goods could not be efficiently transported from state to state. However, trucks can pose a serious danger while on the road. Tractor-trailers often weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds, meaning they can easily crush any obstacles in their path, including other vehicles. However, one of the most dangerous aspects of a truck is the cargo it carries. If that cargo spills, depending on what it is, it can cause catastrophic damage.

The Danger of Logging Trucks

Wood is commonly used in construction, furniture manufacture, and even paper. Since it is so widely used, trucks carrying massive logs are not an uncommon sight. These logging trucks are designed to carry large amounts of wood as safely as possible, and will often have specially designed cages on the trailer to keep the logs in place, on top of other fasteners and securing cables. However, these precautions do fail, and when they do, there are dire consequences.

The logs these trucks carry are often long and thick, weighing thousands of pounds. If these logs escape their restraints, which can happen when cargo is improperly secured, overloaded, or a truck begins to roll over, then they could easily land on nearby cars. This would catastrophically injure, or even kill, the people inside them. Even more frightening, because logs are round, they are prone to rolling when they have enough force behind them, which means that they could damage multiple cars and hurt dozens of people.

The Danger of Cement Trucks

Like wood, cement is a commonly used building material. However, unlike wood, cement cannot be transported very far. This is because cement dries relatively quickly, so it must reach its destination within just an hour and a half, otherwise the cement becomes unusable. This means that the driver of a cement truck is unlikely to be fatigued, which may be the case with a logging truck driver. However, it also means that cement truck drivers are prone to speed or even run red lights, which can be even more troublesome.

A truck driver who doesn’t follow traffic laws is incredibly dangerous, even more so when that truck holds cement. Cement trucks have a very high center of gravity, higher than the standard tractor-trailer, which means that rollovers are far more likely. When a cement truck rolls over, the wet cement can come spilling out, covering other vehicles on the road. This can cause extreme damage to the cars as well as any nearby pedestrians, as wet cement is very heavy and could easily break bones.

The Danger of Chemical Trucks

Perhaps the most dangerous truck of all, however, is a truck carrying chemicals. These chemicals can vary, from toxic gases, to explosives, to flammable liquids, to radioactive materials. These trucks aren’t more dangerous because of their design or weight, but because of the particular cargo that they carry. When trucks carrying hazardous material experience a cargo spill, it can result in:

• Severe burns, both chemical and thermal
• Poisoning
• Explosions
• Limb loss
• Hearing loss
• Difficulty breathing
• Exposure to carcinogenic material
• Brain damage

Dangerous chemicals are often volatile, and while a responsible truck driver and trucking company will do everything they can to make sure these chemicals are transported safely, not every company or driver is responsible. The truth is many are negligent, which means it may not take much for a truck carrying hazardous chemicals to experience a spill, and for disaster to ensue.

If you have become the victim of a truck accident in Georgia, whether it was a logging truck, cement truck, or standard semi-truck, then you are likely suffering from severe injuries. Thankfully, Grant Law Office is here to offer you help. As experienced personal injury attorneys, we know how to fight against trucking companies that would rather push your accident under the rug rather than offer fair compensation. Call our team at (404) 995-3955 for a free consultation today.