Florida is home to many waterways and as a result has many bridges. Trucks often must cross these bridges in Miami and other cities order to deliver their cargo. Unfortunately, bridges pose a special danger for trucks. In the event of a collision, a two-lane bridge simply does not provide any space for other vehicles to go, which can increase the severity of the crash. In addition, the weight and force of a truck accident can cause severe structural damage to the bridge itself, even leading to bridge collapse.
There are many federal and state rules in place to keep bridges and vehicles safe. For example, many bridges have clearance limits. This means that trucks above a certain height are not permitted on some bridges. In addition, all bridges have weight limits, so that heavy trucks posing a risk of bridge collapse are not permitted on the structures. Unfortunately, in some cases truckers violate these rules and try to squeeze an overloaded or overweight truck onto a bridge. This can lead to bridge collapse, structural damage, and other problems.
While Miami and other municipalities are charged with making sure that bridges are safe, in some cases bridges are not maintained correctly due t negligence, budget cutbacks, or other causes. This means that even when trucks obey clearance and weight limits, they may inadvertently cause damage if the bridge itself is poorly designed, damaged, or poorly maintained.
If you are involved in a car accident in Miami or in Florida on a bridge, you may have few choices to avoid or minimize danger. If you see a truck careening out of control on a bridge, there may only be two lanes and therefore no way for you to get to safety. There is often no shoulder or no area where you can pullover. This means that you may be rear-ended or broadsided by another vehicles simply because the traffic is congested and there is no room to maneuver. Even a simple fender-bender in this situation can become dangerous, especially in heavy traffic and if other drivers panic.
In addition, a truck itself can crash through the guard rails or can push your vehicle over the guard rails, causing your car to sink in the water, potentially with you and your passengers trapped inside. Many people are seriously injured or even drowned because their cars crash through guardrails and into the water below. In addition to the drowning risk, the impact of hitting the water can cause serious injury. Even if you survive the initial impact with no injury, trying to get out of a sinking car is often very difficult.
The odds of being seriously injured in a bridge accident or bridge collapse are much greater than the chances of being injured on a regular road. If you have been injured on a bridge, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free case evaluation. Our engineers, medical consultants, and the attorneys at our law firm can help you explore what happened in your collision and can fight to protect your rights. Your initial consultation with us is free and comes with no obligation.