A fiery crash involving a tanker truck ended up closing down Interstate 40 in New Mexico during November. The crash didn’t take anyone’s life, but it did end up causing damage to the freeway that needed to be repaired. In Texas, it’s not uncommon to see tanker trucks plying the freeways on their way back and forth across the country. Like any other 18 wheeler, there are some real hazards associated with getting too close to these vehicles. With tanker trucks, however, there are other hazards that one has to keep in mind.
Dangerous Cargo
When you look at the back of a tanker truck, you’ll see a numerical code and usually some other warnings that inform people as to what is in that tank. The numerical code gives information on whether or not something is radioactive, flammable, corrosive and so forth. Most of the time, there are also stickers that anybody, even if they don’t know what the numerical codes mean, can read.
It is not unwise to give tanker trucks that are carrying hazardous cargo a bit of extra space when you’re on the freeways. The drivers who pull these rigs are very good at what they do but, unfortunately, there is always a chance that either the driver of a rig that you are nearby is not up to snuff or that there is something mechanically wrong with the rig. Whereas the dangers with a regular semi truck accident include the massive size of the vehicle and its speed, an accident involving a tanker truck can be compounded in danger by the cargo it’s carrying.
Avoiding Crashes
Whenever you’re near one of these tanker trucks, exercise extra caution. There is very little chance that the tanker truck is going to get into an accident. If it does, however, whatever it’s hauling may be dangerous. The cargo could be flammable or it could present other hazards to life and limb that make it necessary to have a little extra respect for these vehicles when you’re out on the highways.
Hauling dangerous cargoes is something that requires proper licensing and training. Personal injury attorneys can handle accidents involving these container trucks, including truck wreck wrongful death accidents that result from the crash itself or from the cargo afterward. Be sure to speak with an attorney if you have been injured or have lost a loved one due to one of these tanker trucks being in an accident.
RASANSKY LAW FIRM
2525 McKinnon Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
877-659-2527
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