Tanker trucks transport liquids, including hazardous materials and highly flammable chemicals. These trucks are necessary to get fuels to homes and business and as part of industrial operations. However, while these vehicles are important for local economies and businesses, they can also pose a hazard.
Tanker-truck accidents are extremely dangerous for a few reasons:
- These truck collisions tend to be rollovers. Tankers are designed to reduce sloshing on the inside of the vehicle, but these vehicles by definition carry rather unstable cargo. In the event of a crash, the liquid inside the tanker can move around, which can easily lead to a rollover accident, which can crush nearby cars or pedestrians.
- These trucks can cause spills and therefore secondary accidents. When tankers spill, other cars can easily slip and slide over the spill, potentially causing chain action accidents or secondary car accidents in Hollywood and other communities.
- These trucks can carry hazardous cargo. One of the biggest risks with tanker truck accidents involves the materials that they carry. Tankers can carry unstable, toxic and flammable substances, such as oil, gasoline and other materials which can cause environmental devastation as well as potential hazardous conditions for other drivers. Even residents in the area can be adversely affected by the fumes from such a spill. A serious spill can require evacuation of local homes and businesses, leading to economic loss. It can also require expensive cleanups or can cause damage to property. The fumes from a spill can be so dangerous they can make it difficult for emergency responders to get to people at the scene. In some cases, cargo can explode or catch on fire, potentially causing devastation over a large area.
When you see tanker trucks on the roadways, get out of the way and treat them with caution. Never drive in their blind spots or cut them off. Observe the signs on tankers. If they are carrying hazardous material, they must have labels indicating that and seeing those labels can help remind you to use extra caution. If you are in a collision with a tanker, contact emergency help immediately and stand well out of the way if there has been a spill of hazardous material, if there is a danger of a spill, or if there is a spill and you’re not sure what cargo the tanker was carrying.
If you have been injured in a tanker or truck accident in Hollywood or anywhere in South Florida or if your property has been damaged by a truck spill collision, contact a truck accident attorney in Hollywood. You can do so by contacting Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation.