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WINK News reported on June 1, 2016 that there was a vehicle crash involving a dump truck that rolled over and a Lee County-owned van at Summerlin Road and Winkler Road in Fort Myers. “The accident blocked Summerlin Road and left two drivers injured,” the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said. “The wreck happened when the van was making a U-turn and the dump truck was proceeding through a green light. The van driver appeared to have been at fault.” Both drivers were taken to Lee Memorial Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. 

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), collisions with single-unit trucks, such as dump truck and dump trailer accidents, cause over 35,000 injuries and 1,000 fatalities per year. 

Charles Roberts of Roberts Consulting Engineers defines dump trailers as, “semi-trailers with a dump box mounted on a frame, equipped with a hoist cylinder to raise and lower the box. These vehicles haul a variety of materials ranging from gravel to manufactured granular products. Dump trailers come in a variety of lengths with the longer vehicles being susceptible to instability and rollover.” 

What makes dump truck rollovers so dangerous? 

The IHSA (Infrastructure Health and Safety Administration) of Canada explains that dump trucks tend to be heavy vehicles, and are often much larger than other motor vehicles on the road. One small factor can make the truck tip over such as a slight variation in level, a load that gets stuck or soft ground under the tires. When fully loaded, a 5-axle dump truck may weigh as much as 65,000 pounds. Combining such a large vehicle with hazardous, heavy materials and uneven surfaces creates a recipe for potential disaster. 

What causes dump truck rollovers? 

The causes of dump truck accidents, according to the Dump Truck Tip-Over Prevention Fact Sheet by the Texas department of transportation, can vary significantly. Some of the most common causes they include are: 

• High centers of gravity: A dump truck sits much higher up than a standard motor vehicle. 
• Unbalanced weight loads: The construction of dump trucks makes them vulnerable to tipping over due to the imbalance in weight and materials being carried inside of the open-box. The likelihood of a dump truck’s turning over increases when it is loading or unloading and the heavy weight of the cargo is constantly shifting. 
• Back-up: There are substantial visual limitations for the driver of a dump truck. Many big dump trucks have a blind spot on the right side where smaller vehicles cannot be seen by the truck driver. 
• Adverse weather: Extreme conditions can make maneuvering the vehicle a challenge, and slippery roads can contribute to the cause of collision. 
• Lane crossover: Many accidents result from either the dump truck driver or the driver of another vehicle crossing over the center line of the road, traversing into oncoming traffic. 
• Not braking in time: Not providing enough room to stop often contributes to these types of accidents. 

“Southwest Florida is experiencing a building boom which means there are more and more dump trucks and dump trailers on our roads and highways. If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision with a dump truck, contact the experienced attorneys at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. to determine your rights,” said Lee County Truck Accident Attorney Randall Spivey.

Lee County Truck Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com. Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.