Georgia Truck Accident Lawyers Blog

According to local authorities, a trucking accident in Austell resulted in radioactive material all over the eastbound lanes of Interstate 20 for about five hours.

The Cobb County Fire Department reported that the radioactive medical-related material started to pour onto the pavement in the middle of the night as the driver headed down the Interstate between Fulton Industrial Boulevard and Six Flags Drive as he lost control of the big rig.

Authorities report that the 18-wheeler had a load of eight separate containers that were filled with the radioactive material. Seven of them busted open during the incident, according to WSBTV.

"He came up kind of close on another vehicle and swerved to miss it and he hit the guard rail and that's what made it overturn," said Dennell Boyd, a spokeswoman for the Fire Department.

Our Georgia trucking accident attorneys understand how dangerous accidents with large trucks can be. The danger and the consequences are greatly increased when the large vehicle is carrying hazardous cargo. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division had to work through the night to get the mess cleaned up by morning rush hour.

According to government accident statistics, thousands of people who transport dangerous cargo on trucks pose increased dangers of causing serious injury on our roadways. These risks are increased when conditions work against the trucker, including weather conditions, road conditions, driver skills, distractions and other motorists.

Dangerous cargo can include infectious and poisonous substances, radioactive material, liquids, gasses and explosives. Dangerous cargo can also be defined as loosely secured cargo that has the ability to become disconnected with the truck and fly into your driving path. Overloading a truck with cargo as makes it dangerous as it's more susceptible to flip or veer out of control.

A number of driver factors can contribute to lose cargo on our roadways, including driver negligence or carelessness, driver fatigue, alcohol or drug impairment, driver distractions and speeding.

Truckers and trucking companies are required to meet a number of federal regulations and adhere to laws to help ensure the safety of everyone on our roadways. Commercial truckers are also required to keep their log book and insurance information handy at all times.

Truckers must remain within a maximum axle weight law, make sure the roads they're traveling are safe enough to handle their vehicle's weight and stop at designated weight stations. If these laws, or any others, are broken, drivers will not only face serious fines, but they can cause a serious accident and find themselves in a legal mess.

If you have been involved in an accident with a commercial truck and have been injured as a result of unsafe cargo, you're urged to contact an experienced attorney to help you to determine liability. Drawing this conclusion requires a thorough investigation and knowledge of the current trucking regulations, laws and standards.