Improperly tied loads can often lead to debris falling onto the interstate and then injuring or killing other drivers. This time however it was a tractor-trailer carrying an oversize load that caused the falling debris, reports the Tampa Tribune.
A tractor trailer carrying a crane struck an overpass on I-75 in Wesley Chapel, Florida (FL), and caused debris to fall injuring people in two vehicles, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The tractor trailer was heading north on I-75 when it collided with the overpass near mile marker 281. Debris from the overpass fell on top of two vehicles, a 2011 Buick and a 2005 Cadillac. The passengers in the Buick were taken to University Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, said Sgt. Steve Gaskins, a FHP spokesman.
After the crash, the driver of the tractor trailer didn’t stop. I hope the injured passengers recover swiftly. I can only imagine how scared they must have been when they were being suddenly bombarded by debris. There is no news on whether the tractor-trailer drive has been charged or why he didn’t stop after the impact.
While many people might think of this as a “freak accident,” highway debris injuries are preventable and often other drivers are at fault. In many cases, highway debris ends up on the roads due to an improperly loaded tractor-trailer or pickup truck — vehicles that do not have their cargo secured or tied down correctly.
All in all, an estimated 90 deaths and 25,000 vehicle accidents a year are caused by debris on the road or by debris falling off of vehicles.
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