FHP spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said that the diesel spill made the clean-up especially dangerous and problematic.

“That diesel eats the roadway up,” she said. “We can’t let people drive on that. They had to fix the road before they could.”

Road workers had to mill the road where the fuel spilled and then repave it before traffic could be restored on two of three lanes of I-95.

Montes said that the 57-year-old driver of the truck carrying general merchandise was following traffic too closely at the time of the accident. When his truck rear-ended the truck hauling PVC in front of him, the PVC piping was driven through the driver’s cab, killing him instantly.

“They were just traveling along,” Montes said. “(Daniels) was simply going faster than the other truck and ran right into the back of it.”

The 48-year-old driver of the other truck suffered minor injuries in the crash and was not hospitalized. FHP troopers said that they did not believe alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in the accident.

This trucking accident is very unusual in that two trucks were involved and that one of the drivers was killed. The overwhelming majority of trucking accidents involve tractor-trailers and much smaller passenger vehicles, and, in most cases, it is the occupants of the smaller vehicles who suffer catastrophic, even fatal, injuries. If you or a member of your immediate family has been injured in a Florida trucking accident and you have questions about your rights and legal options, call Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000. Mr. Cunningham is an Orlando personal injury attorney with a reputation for working hard and helping clients receive the maximum allowable compensation.

Last year, the agency took other steps to make roadways safer and reduce trucking accidents, including a rule that will go into effect in 2012 that will require long-haul truckers who routinely violate driving limits to install electronic log devices instead of the traditional paper driver’s log books. Trucking companies oppose an even stricter version of this rule that would make electronic log books mandatory in all big rigs whether a driver has a history of violating driving limits or not. The new round of safety measures is the biggest since 2004, when a major overhaul of trucking laws took place. The new laws reduced the number of fatal truck accidents, and agency officials hope the proposed changes will reduce deadly truck accidents even more.

Here in Florida, 179 people were killed in trucking accidents in 2009. Passenger vehicles weighing only a few thousand pounds are no match for a fully loaded 18-wheeler weighing up to 80,000 pounds. If a truck driver gets drowsy from spending too many hours behind the wheel without taking a break, his or her chances of causing a deadly accident go up significantly.

If you or a close family member has been injured in a trucking accident caused by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel and/or falsified a driver’s log, the driver and the trucking company may be liable for damages. If you have questions, call Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Mr. Cunningham has been helping injured people since 1977 and helps each client achieve the best possible outcome for his or her case. Before you sign any documents that you do not fully understand, have your Orlando personal injury lawyer read them first!

Accident investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol said that the cement truck was southbound on I-275 when it attempted to exit onto the Bayway off ramp, hit the center guardrail and flipped, causing the cement tank to fall off the truck. The truck’s cement tank caused the long, broad hole in the pavement when it fell. The Florida Department of Transportation estimated that it would take several weeks for road crews to repair the hole and allow the opening of the exit. The truck’s driver was taken to Bayfront Medical Center and treated for undisclosed injuries.

The length, breadth and depth of the gouge in the roadway is a clear indication of how heavy large trucks are and the damage that can occur if they collide with a guardrail, another vehicle or something else. Drivers and passengers in vehicles struck by trucks weighing tens of thousands of pounds are often killed or suffer injuries that change the course of their lives forever. Trucking accident survivors often face long and very expensive roads to recovery and must contend with severe financial hardship.

Since 1977, Orlando trucking accident attorney James O. Cunningham has been helping trucking accident victims recover the compensation they deserve by taking on the big insurance companies as an advocate for his clients. The compensation includes the costs of medical treatment, lost wages and other accident-related costs provided under the law.

The Law Offices of James O. Cunningham are located throughout Central Florida, so if you would like to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney, chances are very good that one of his law offices is close by. He offers free consultations and gives each client’s case his personal attention. Call today and schedule a free consultation with Orlando trucking accident lawyer James O. Cunningham.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol investigating the trucking accident, the accident occurred around 1:23 p.m. on November 5 when the Dodge van, towing a utility trailer loaded with sod, had slowed to 15 mph in the outside lane of Interstate 75. A semi truck struck the back of the trailer and the van, sending both the van and semi truck into the guardrail. The van reportedly came to a stop after the impact, but the semi jackknifed and eventually rolled several times before striking a concrete embankment on Interstate 10.

An 80,000-pound vehicle traveling at 55 mph strikes other vehicles with a fearsome amount of force and survivors face a long, painful and catastrophically expensive road to recovery. A trucking accident changes the course of their lives forever.

For more than 32 years, Orlando trucking accident attorney James O. Cunningham has dedicated his Orlando personal injury law practice to helping the victims of trucking accidents, auto accidents, motorcycle accidents and other accidents caused by the negligence of others. If you or a loved one sustained injury or if a loved one died in a Central Florida trucking accident, call the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham today. He offers free consultations and works on a contingency-fee basis, which means if he accepts your case, there is no attorney fee unless he makes a financial recovery on your behalf. Call Orlando trucking accident lawyer James O. Cunningham today and receive answers to your questions.

Washington State Troopers said the accident began when a semi truck traveling westbound began losing its cargo and caused the chain reaction accident when cars, trucks and at least one motorcycle tried to avoid hitting the debris flying out of the back of the truck.

One motorcyclist involved in the accident said, "Cars were going every which way. The truck that dropped the load was at a dead stop. A truck came into my lane sideways. I had no place to go."

He had to lay his bike down to save his life and although his motorcycle sustained significant damage, he suffered only scrapes and bruises. The rider felt lucky that he and no one else had been seriously injured, but his relief was tempered by the sight of the knife sticking out of a car’s bumper.

He said, "The first thought that went through my mind was the person whose car it was stuck into, thinking that if it came up another foot and a half or two feet it would have impaled him, gone through him. The second thought is it would have impaled me."

Washington State Patrol officers said that the driver had a cargo net in the back of the truck to secure the cargo but didn’t bother to use it.

Even though this truck accident didn’t happen in Florida, it is indicative of the shortcuts that truck drivers here and elsewhere will take that put other drivers at unnecessary risk. Each state has strict laws about these huge trucks that share our roads, restricting who can drive trucks, how much they can drive before resting, how much freight they can haul, how much their trucks can weigh and many others. All these laws are intended to protect people from trucking companies and drivers from taking shortcuts and endangering others on the road.

If you or a family member have been injured in a Florida trucking accident and have questions about your legal options, call Orlando truck accident lawyer James Cunningham today and schedule a free consultation. With his assistance, countless victims injured through the negligence of others have recovered the financial compensation they deserve. Mr. Cunningham works on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fees unless he makes a recovery on your behalf.