Two truck drivers were killed Saturday morning when their semi-trucks collided on I-285 North at Cascade Road. According to a report from Fox 5, the crash occurred just after 9 a.m. and caused the intersection to be shut down for hours as investigators from the South Fulton Police Department were on scene. That investigation continues.

Commercial motor vehicles are a common sight on regional freeways. Unfortunately, the size of these massive vehicles presents several hazards, including a high center of gravity, significant blind spots on all four sides of the vehicle, and a longer stopping distance as the vehicle’s brakes pull its weight to a complete stop. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) —the agency tasked with regulating and overseeing the US trucking industry— of the nearly 36,000 traffic crashes that occurred on US roadways in a year, around 12.8 percent (4,588) involved at least one commercial vehicle. In addition to these fatal accidents, hundreds of thousands of accidents involving semi-trucks result in injuries and property damage. 

Georgia sees more than 200 fatal accidents involving commercial vehicles a year, the FMCSA notes. While fatalities in truck accidents commonly involve the occupants of other vehicles and vulnerable roadway users such as pedestrians or bicyclists, around 830 truck drivers in the US die each year due to accidents on-the-job.

When someone dies in a traffic-related accident in Georgia, they often leave loved ones behind who have lost an important source of financial and emotional support. The wrongful death claims process in Georgia allows family members who have lost a loved one to seek compensation for the financial and psychological impacts they suffered because of their loss. An experienced wrongful death lawyer from Cambre & Associates can help you understand this process and the services they can provide when handling your claim. For a free case evaluation, send us a message online.