Tampa, FL — November 25, 2024, a Lutz woman was injured following an 18-wheeler accident that happened at around 12:05 p.m. off I-75.
Authorities said in their initial statements on the crash that events began along I-75 at the I-4 interchange and ended on Hillsborough Avenue below the interstate.
According to officials, a 61-year-old Lutz woman was in a Jeep traveling westbound along Hillsborough. Up ahead, it appears a semi-trailer taking the transfer ramp from I-75 to I-4 somehow hit the concrete barrier, then fell over the side. The trailer landed on Hillsborough Avenue, following which the Lutz woman’s Jeep crashed into it.
Due to the collision, the woman was seriously injured. It’s unclear if there were any other injuries. Right now, the cause of the accident remains unconfirmed.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Something obviously has to go very wrong for a truck to careen over the side of a transfer ramp like this. However, it’s important not to go jumping to conclusions. While folks may be quick to assume the truck driver must have been speeding or on their phone, it can take thorough investigations to really get to the bottom of what went wrong. If authorities aren’t asking the right kinds of questions, they could let something important slip through the cracks.
Did the trailer tip due to unsecured cargo? Did a tire blowout? Was there something in the roadway? Is this truck driver inexperienced or poorly trained? Do they have a history of reckless driving? Were they driving long hours to meet unreasonable deadlines? Was there another reckless driver involved who left the scene?
Ultimately, these are the kinds of questions I’m used to seeing independent accident reconstructionists answer. They can help determine not just what caused the crash but also if those mistakes are signs of more serious problems that need to be addressed. A lot of the time when authorities are asked the same questions, though, they either have no answers, or the answers just aren’t satisfactory. Maybe authorities here are being more thorough and will get those affected by this accident the answers they deserve. But after handling hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases throughout my career, that’s not something I’d ever take for granted.
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