Louisiana has one of the highest rates of 18-wheeler accidents in the entire country, which is why Clayton, Frugé & Ward is committed to holding shipping companies accountable for unsafe practices and negligent drivers. Our firm understands that big rig collisions are the most dangerous accidents on the highway. Weighing up to 80,000 pounds, large commercial trucks are the biggest, heaviest vehicles on the road.
However, even among 18-wheelers, there is a class of truck that is the most dangerous. These trucks are tanker trucks, and the risk of injury or fatality in a tank truck accident is much higher. Why? Because of their cargo.
Tanker trucks carry hazardous materials like:
- Gasoline and diesel
- Ethanol
- Radioactive materials
- Dangerous vapors
- Industrial byproducts
- Oil
- Other volatile materials
In some cases, tank trucks can carry multiple chemicals stored in different compartments within a single tank. This dangerous practice is rooted in increasing profitability, as it reduces the number of trips a shipping company needs to make.
Common Tank Truck Accident Disasters
Volatile and toxic chemicals like these increase the odds of a highway disaster. That’s why shipping companies are required to have a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit: to ensure that they’re qualified to safely transport dangerous chemicals across state and national borders. However, a piece of paper is no guarantee of safe operation.
Unsafe transportation and tank truck collisions can result in:
- Fires
- Explosions
- Toxic exposure
- Chemical burns
Cargo tank trucks are also susceptible to one of the deadliest and most dangerous types of truck accidents: rollovers. There are 1,300 cargo tank truck rollover accidents every year, an average of 4 per day. The cause of cargo tank truck rollovers often comes down to load size. “Slosh and surge” created by empty space in cargo tanks can throw off a truck’s balance and momentum, creating the conditions for a rollover accident and disastrous chemical spill.
If you’re injured in a serious truck accident of any kind, speak with an 18-wheeler crash lawyer at Clayton, Frugé & Ward as soon as possible. We can help you determine who is at fault for your injuries and hold them accountable for your medical bills, lost wages, and more. Call (225) 209-9943 for a free case consultation today.