One person was killed and several others were injured in a multi-vehicle crash on I-285 in Fulton County early Friday morning. According to a report from Fox 5, the accident occurred near Riverdale Road, where a police officer had stopped to assist a semi-truck driver who had lost their load on the interstate. Several other vehicles crashed into the semi and patrol car. The officer was a member of the Stockbridge Police Department, who reports that their officer was not injured in the accident.
The crash resulted in the closure of all eastbound lanes of I-285 in proximity to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport for several hours. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has consistently been named the busiest airport in the world. WSB Radio notes that in addition to the 47-year-old man who died in the accident, there were four other individuals who sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to the hospital.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) — which is the federal agency tasked with regulating and overseeing the U.S. trucking industry — has rules pertaining to the proper securement of cargo. Unsecured or improperly secured cargo presents a number of risks for the truck driver and others on the roadway, including a higher likelihood of rollovers due to a shift in cargo, or hazards to other drivers as a result of cargo spilling out onto the roadway or striking other vehicles. Around 6,000 commercial trucks are involved in accidents each year as a result of cargo shifts, accounting for about 4 percent of all commercial truck-involved crashes.
If you were injured or lost a loved one due to an accident that involved a commercial truck, an experienced attorney from Cambre & Associates can help you understand your legal options for seeking compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injury or loss. Contact us for a free case evaluation.