Steel Bar on a Tractor Trailer Potentially Saves a Life in a North Carolina Accident
North Carolina site, WRAL.com, reported on December 2, 2013, that a collision on Interstate I-540 could have been much worse if the tractor-trailer involved hadn’t been equipped with a rear under-ride guard. The guard is a beam designed to stop smaller cars from sliding under larger vehicles like the tractor-trailer. The accident was part of a chain reaction near the Leesville exit that happened around 6:30 in the morning and backed up traffic for 10 miles. The driver of a pickup truck hit a Dodge challenger which then sideswiped the tractor-trailer. A Toyota Prius then hit the tractor-trailer.
First Sergeant Jeff Gordon, who investigated the accident for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, believes the bar/beam saved the life of the Toyota Prius driver. The driver of the Toyota was still charged for failing to reduce his speed and was taken to WakeMed Hospital for surgery. The injuries were not life-threatening.
According to Sergeant Gordon, both North Carolina and Federal laws require the under-ride guard on semi-trailers that are 48 feet or longer. North Carolina statistics show that the guard does save lives. The guard has to be 30 inches or more off the ground. Larger vehicles are required to follow federal and local rules in regard to guides, the size and weight of the vehicle, and a host of other issues. Federal Motor Carrier laws are in place to save lives.
Joe Miller Law, Firm Helps Car And Truck Accident Victims
As an experienced motor vehicle and truck accident attorney, Joe Miller knows the relevant laws that apply when a truck is involved in an accident. Call Joe Miller Law, at (888) 694-1671 if you’ve been involved in a truck accident in North Carolina or Virginia. If someone else was responsible for the accident that harmed you, you could be eligible for financial compensation to help cover the costs of the accident.