Two tractor trailers collide & burn in the rain in Alabama
On 3/9/05 near Dothan, Alabama, two tractor trailers crashed and burned, killing one of the truck drivers and severely burning the other one.
Swerving to miss a motorcycle wreck, a southbound 18-wheeler crossed into northbound traffic and collided head on with another tractor-trailer. Both trucks burst into flames on impact. Rain had begun falling about five minutes earlier, leading to a minor collision of a car and motorcycle. Then a tractor-trailer hit the motorcycle, lost control and slid into oncoming traffic. The head-on collision between the two trucks was described as a gigantic impact with flames that burned both trucks to the ground. See news article.
The news story is silent about fatigue or hours of service violations. However, weather is a factor to consider. Note that the "extreme caution" standard of care in 49 C.F.R. § 392.14 preempts any lower standard under state laws.
The Shigley Law Firm represents plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases statewide in Georgia, and in other states subject to the multijurisdictional practice and pro hac vice rules in each state. Ken Shigley was designated as a "SuperLawyer" in Atlanta Magazine and one of the "Legal Elite" in Georgia Trend Magazine. He is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Chair of the Southeastern Motor Carrier Liability Institute and former chair of the Georgia Insurance Law Institute. He particularly focuses on cases arising from truck wrecks and accidents (tractor trailers truck wrecks, semi truck wrecks,18 wheeler truck wrecks, big rig truck wrecks, log truck wrecks, dump truck wrecks).
