There was an 18-wheeler crash near Beaumont, Texas on December 26, 2024. According to reports, an 18-wheeler car hauler overturned on Interstate 10 eastbound near the Goodyear Plant. The 18-wheeler is reported to have left the roadway, before returning to the highway and striking a passenger car. The driver of the car, Lucina Gamez Rosales, was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital for medical care. Additional details have not yet been released.
Operating an 18-wheeler that is hauling cars presents unique risks, as illustrated by the recent crash near Beaumont, Texas. This crash underscores the heightened dangers associated with managing large commercial vehicles carrying heavy and complex loads like automobiles.
One significant risk of operating a car hauler is the added weight and instability caused by its cargo. Automobiles are heavy, and when loaded onto a multi-level trailer, they significantly raise the vehicle’s center of gravity. This increases the likelihood of rollovers, particularly during sudden turns, lane changes, or when the vehicle departs the roadway. Maintaining balance and stability becomes even more critical when navigating uneven surfaces or sharp curves, as these conditions can destabilize the load and lead to accidents like the one in Beaumont.
Another challenge is the difficulty of maneuvering and braking while carrying such a heavy load. Car haulers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, making it harder to stop quickly in emergencies. If the load is improperly secured or the weight is unevenly distributed, it can exacerbate these difficulties, causing the vehicle to behave unpredictably during sudden stops or turns. In this case, the hauler’s departure from the roadway may have been influenced by these factors, contributing to its loss of control and subsequent collision.
The sheer size of a car hauler also increases the risk to other vehicles on the road. Due to limited visibility and larger blind spots, truck drivers may struggle to detect smaller passenger vehicles in their vicinity, heightening the risk of collisions. Moreover, an overturned car hauler can create extensive road hazards, including scattered debris and blocked lanes, leading to additional risks for other motorists. The crash near Beaumont highlights the critical importance of proper training, load management, and adherence to safety protocols when operating car haulers to prevent such devastating incidents.
There have been a number of recent accidents involving vehicles, resulting in severe injuries and sometimes death. There was a deadly 18-wheeler crash in San Juan, Texas on December 13, 2024. There was a FedEx delivery truck crash near Burkeville, Texas on December 12, 2024. A semi-truck hauling a load of gravel overturned in Brownsville, Texas on December 16, 2024. There was an 18-wheeler crash in Dallas, Texas on December 18, 2024. There was a deadly wrong-way crash on I-45 in Houston, Texas around 2:30 am on December 19, 2024. There was a trucking crash in Sherman, Texas on December 23, 2024.
Spagnoletti Law Firm is proud to have attorneys licensed in Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and New York. Our team has worked on numerous cases involving severe auto and bus accidents, offering dedicated legal representation to families who have lost loved ones or individuals who have suffered serious injuries in trucking or commercial vehicle crashes.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, the accident attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm are here to help you navigate your legal options. Contact us today online or call 713-804-9306 for a free consultation and to learn more about your rights.