Texas Accident & Injury News
A fully loaded dump truck can weigh up to 80,000 lbs.
Fatal Crash With Dump Truck Shuts Down Bandera on the Far Northwest Side
According to a KSAT News report, a dump truck collided with a pickup and left the driver dead in an early morning accident.
Police reported the accident happened at around 7:30 a.m. on April 16th on Bandera Road south of Highway 211. The preliminary report stated that the dump truck lost control while turning and hit the pickup, but investigators later changed the report, saying who to blame was unclear. The driver of the dump truck survived after being pulled from under the dump truck with a head injury and was hospitalized. The driver of the pickup, a 35-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. No other vehicles were involved, and the investigation is ongoing.
Did You Know?
There were 4,419 dump truck crashes resulting in at least one injury across the United States in 2020.
Explained: Why Dump Truck Accidents in Texas Are So Dangerous
Major highway construction projects mean sharing the roads with all kinds of construction vehicles — just what we needed, right?
Aside from making traveling down the extremely narrow and constantly shifting lanes of the highway even more stressful, dump trucks present a slew of dangers to the passenger vehicles they share the road with. Let’s take a look at why dump trucks are so dangerous and what you can do if you’re injured in a dump truck accident in Texas.
The Dangers of Dump Trucks
Every kind of commercial vehicle presents some level of threat to other drivers. However, dump trucks have some unique threats, such as:
- Unsecured Loads — Dump trucks are not able to secure their loads like a tractor-trailer and must follow tarping regulations as a result. Debris from improperly secured loads can fly out and injure other drivers.
- Tipping Hazards — Dump trucks often haul loose debris. If they stop too suddenly or take a turn wrong, the shifting load can easily cause them to tip over.
- Hazardous Spills — Accidents can often result in the cargo dumping onto the road, which can damage multiple surrounding vehicles.
- Driver Inexperience — High demand in the construction industry can lead to staffing shortages. In these cases, drivers and other workers are often undertrained in the rush to fill employee vacancies.
- Defective Tires — A fully loaded dump truck may put too much pressure on the tires. This, combined with road debris and shifting road grades in construction zones, can cause the tires to blow.
Even pickup trucks don’t offer much protection against a dump truck in an accident. These kinds of accidents often have serious injuries and fatalities as a result.
Injured or Lost a Loved One in a Dump Truck Accident in Texas? Call Carabin Shaw.
When construction companies make critical mistakes, you shouldn’t be the one left to deal with the consequences.
Commercial vehicle accident cases like dump truck accidents involve many complicated factors. Plus, even though they have the money, companies are notorious for not wanting to admit their mistakes and repay you for your loss.
Don’t try to face them alone — hire expert commercial vehicle accident lawyers for your dump truck accident.
Carabin Shaw has been representing those injured in dump truck accidents across Texas for more than 30 years. We’re a trusted name in San Antonio because we put our clients first. Call the team that cares for your commercial vehicle accident case at 800-862-1260 or use the live chat to schedule your free consultation today. We look forward to serving you.
Contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney is free and does not obligate you to work with the firm.