An early March morning and it’s still dark outside. People are up starting their day, getting ready for work, maybe getting a jump start on their commute to beat the traffic. The highways are just starting to fill in. A tractor-trailer makes an unsafe driving maneuver that sets in motion a horrific chain of events, resulting in a multi-vehicle pile-up on the highway.
This was the scene that occurred on Interstate 270 in Maryland just after 5 am on Monday. A multi-vehicle crash shut down the highway for hours. The crash was initiated by an unidentified tractor-trailer attempting to make an unsafe lane change. Witnesses relayed the chain of events, starting when a tractor-trailer moved into the far-right lane of the highway and cut off another vehicle. That vehicle had to slam on its breaks to avoid the tractor-trailer, which set in motion the events that ended with 18 vehicles crashing, including three other tractor-trailers.
One of the other tractor-trailers involved in the crash was carrying gravel and slate and lost its heavy load on the highway because of the accident, adding to the already dangerous and horrific scene. Luckily, no one was killed, but several people were transported to the hospital for treatment. The tractor-trailer that caused the crash did not remain on scene, and police are still searching for any information that might help them identify this vehicle.
This story is just one example of the all too frequent and severe accidents that can be caused by trucks on our roadways. Truck drivers and trucking companies can be held responsible for injuries and damages resulting from these types of accidents. If you have been involved in any type of truck accident, it is a good idea to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your rights and remedies.
Source: WTOP.com, “Maryland State Police looking for vehicle that caused I-270 crash,” Dan Friedell, March 19, 2018