Portland 18-Wheeler Wreck: Tractor-Trailer Overturns Onto Vehicle
Interstate 5 northbound was closed through the morning commute Wednesday near Terwilliger Boulevard after a semi-tractor trailer crashed onto its side and landed on top of another vehicle. The crash happened at around 4:30 a.m., police said. The people inside the car were taken to the hospital. This accident, in the earlier morning hours, was apparently the result of an inattentive tractor-trailer driver speeding through an area of I-5 known to be dangerous. There are signs up and down Interstate 5 warning big rig drivers about the danger of the Terwilliger Curves; they may have been ignored.
Speeding on Unfamiliar Roads is a Leading Cause of Tractor-Trailer Wrecks
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) is the division of the Department of Transportation which regulates “commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce” which means the FMCSA regulates tractor-trailer owners, lessors, and operators. The FMCSA has studied the causes of tractor-trailer wrecks; the leading causes are typically driver related, including the driver falling asleep, driver drug use, driver distraction, and driver inattentiveness, poor decision making, or driving too fast for conditions. Other causes include brake failure and road conditions. The findings from one FMSCA study are published below.
CONTACT A TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER TODAY if you have been involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer or commercial vehicle.
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Factors assigned to the causes of Truck Accidents and their “Relative Risk” factors:
| Factors | Number of Trucks | Percent of Total | Relative Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle: Brake problems | 41,000 | 29% | 2.7 |
| Driver: Traveling too fast for conditions | 32,000 | 23% | 7.7 |
| Driver: Unfamiliar with roadway | 31,000 | 22% | 2.0 |
| Environment: Roadway problems | 29,000 | 20% | 1.5 |
| Driver: Over-the-counter drug use | 25,000 | 17% | 1.3 |
| Driver: Inadequate surveillance | 20,000 | 14% | 9.3 |
| Driver: Fatigue | 18,000 | 13% | 8.0 |
| Driver: Felt under work pressure from carrier | 16,000 | 10% | 4.7 |
| Driver: Made illegal maneuver | 13,000 | 9% | 26.4 |
| Driver: Inattention | 12,000 | 9% | 17.1 |
| Driver: External distraction | 11,000 | 8% | 5.1 |
| Vehicle: Tire problems | 8,000 | 6% | 2.5 |
| Driver: Following too close | 7,000 | 5% | 22.6 |
| Driver: Jackknife | 7,000 | 5% | 4.7 |
| Vehicle: Cargo shift | 6,000 | 4% | 56.3 |
| Driver: Illness | 4,000 | 3% | 34.0 |
| Driver: Internal distraction | 3,000 | 2% | 5.8 |
| Driver: Illegal drugs | 3,000 | 2% | 1.8 |
| Driver: Alcohol | 1,000 | 1% | 5.3 |
