Blown Tire Causes Fatal Wreck on Interstate 75
A dump truck traveling southbound on Interstate 75 caused a multi-vehicle accident that killed one person and injured others in Pasco County. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the dump truck blew a tire just north of State Road 52. When the driver’s side front tire blew out, the driver was unable to maintain control of the vehicle. The dump truck veered sharply right and hit a 1998 Ford Van that was traveling in the lane immediately left of the truck, before turning over and striking the median. Another dump truck that had been traveling behind the previous truck also slammed into the overturned dump truck.
The driver of the overturned truck passed away at the scene. Occupants of the other vehicles had only minor injuries. It is not know at this time if the driver of the dump truck was wearing his seat belt. The investigation on this incident is still pending. Traffic on I-75 was back up for several hours as authorities worked to clear the scene.
A large number of construction and trucking industry workers drive company vehicles as part of their daily work activities. These workers rely on their company vehicles to keep their safe and allow them to perform their duties with a relatively low risk of injury. The age and condition of the tires on the vehicle involved in last week’s accident is not know at this time, but the accident does pose a legitimate question for construction companies. How well do they maintain their vehicles and document the maintenance schedule?
Many larger companies do have a location where maintenance is documented, but the information may be incomplete or inaccurate. Smaller companies often have very limited documentation on maintenance schedules. It is good practice for any employee that drives a company vehicle to always perform a pre-trip or daily inspection of the vehicle for broken or worn safety devices or other critical parts. Asking for your employer to provide prove of vehicle maintenance or repairs is another way to find out if your company is performing due diligence to keep their employees safe.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a workplace accident, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587).
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.