Amtrak’s California Zephyr was en route from Chicago to Emeryville, Calif., with some 200 passengers and 14 crew members when the accident occurred late Friday morning about 300 miles east of its destination.

The truck driver has been identified as 43-year-old Lawrence Ruben Valli and published reports suggest Valli had six moving violations since 2008; including three tickets for speeding while driving a school bus in Lake Tahoe. There was a speeding ticket while driving an 18 wheeler rig in Alabama; and tickets in California for not wearing a seat belt and talking on a cell phone.

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Valli’s cell phone was obtained by investigators who have sent it to a lab in Washington, D.C. for analysis.

”The tractor remains imbedded in the side of the rail car,” the NTSB’s Earl Weener told reporters during a news conference Monday night. The big rig involved in the accident was longer and heavier than the law normally allows. But the company, John Davis Trucking, got a waiver that put a truck and two trailers on the road that weighed almost 50,000 pounds.

FOX40 News reports:

The NTSB may have also uncovered an explanation for the fireball that followed the crash.  ”We are working to understand the amount of fuel that was in the two saddle tanks.  The tanks had a maximum capacity of 110 gallons each,” Weener says.

Federal officials are also rebuilding the crossing signal in an effort to determine how far away the flashing lights can be seen.  The crossing arm reportedly drops 25 seconds before the train passes.  But an onboard camera and data recorder only confirm the crossing signal was working.  ”The horn and bell are in use prior to and through the crossing.   The crossing gates are shown to be in the down position as the train approaches and passes.”

It’s not known how fast the truck was moving, but the speed limit on Highway 95 is 70 miles an hour.  The NTSB couldn’t say how long it would take a truck like that to stop. But some estimates indicate at least 300 feet; and skid marks suggest the truck may have traveled farther than that.  ”That video shows the weather to be clear, visibility to be unrestricted, no sight obstructions in the area near the crossing.”

Investigators have asked John Davis Trucking for all the background information they have on Valli.  That will include driving violations, employment records and medical history.  The Nevada Highway Patrol has already supplied what it has including medical information according to Weener.

For some unknown reason Valli lost his Nevada drivers license sometime between 2002 and 2005; only to obtain a commercial drivers license in October of 2009.

The NTSB expects to remain at the crash site for another week, with a preliminary report due in about 30 days.

Comments:

Truck accident lawyers, Gordon, Elias & Seely say that there is tremendous difference in size and weight between trucks or 18 wheelers and automobiles often result in death or permanent and serious personal injuries. A big rig or 18 wheeler usually weighs in excess of 80,000 pounds and the tractor trailer combination may be over 70 feet long, therefore, its stopping distance takes far longer than a car. Too often, catastrophic and fatal accidents are caused by the negligence of the truck driver, evidenced by:

• Inattentiveness to construction zone signs or changes in traffic
• Driver distractions
• Following too closely
• Other human errors [fatigue, drunk driving, DUI, etc.]

Truck Accidents 360 is a truck accident attorney directory that also reports on up to date truck accidents across the United States. Since trucking laws are governed by hundreds of regulations, consult with an expert who knows the trucking laws for each state. Find information about California truck accident lawyers.
Metropolitan cities with a high incident of big rig, semi truck and 18 wheeler accidents include Chesterfield, Irvine, Long Beach, University City, Riverside and San Diego to name a few.

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The southbound lanes heading into Palm Springs were closed from Interstate 10 past Overture Drive for about four hours as CHP officers also stopped semi trucks, 18 wheelers and big rigs from using the highway to leave the valley.

Source The Desert Sun

“These guys are getting knocked over by the wind,” CHP dispatcher Sharon Leath said early Thursday.

The highway’s southbound lanes reopened about 9:40 a.m., but Officer Joe Zagorski said the highway patrol is still asking drivers of large vehicles to avoid the route.

Highway 111 is especially dangerous for high-profile vehicles like trucks and trailers because of its orientation and turns, he said.

“The side of the vehicle is exposed to the wind on 111, especially as it comes closer to Interstate 10. That makes it a huge issue,” Zagorski said. “On I-10 you’re driving directly into (the wind) or directly away from it.”

Winds in nearby Whitewater have been gusting above 50 mph for much of Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Whitewater saw sustained wind speeds of 36 mph gusting up to 53 mph just before 6 a.m. as two big rigs overturned on the nearby stretch of Highway 111.

No one was hurt in either crash.

High winds were at least a factor in both crashes, which involved big rigs with empty or lightly loaded trailers, Zagorski said.

“They have a huge profile and no weight holding them down,” he said.

The UPS truck heading north with two empty trailers and southbound big rig carrying about 10,000 pounds of auto parts crashed separately, he said.

The California Highway Patrol is asking 18 wheeler trucks and big rigs to avoid Highway 111 northwest of Palm Springs after high winds likely toppled two trucks and almost blew over a third this morning.

Truck Accidents 360 is a truck accident news blog that reports on up to date truck accidents, attorneys and legal news across the United States. Since trucking laws are governed by hundreds of regulations, consult with truck accident lawyers who know the trucking laws for each state. Find more information about California truck accident lawyers.

California cities near Palm Springs with a high incident of 18 wheeler accidents include San Bernardino, San Gabriel and Ontario to name a few.

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The pick up truck was traveling east in the center-left lane in the 2600 block of West Freeway about 8:45 p.m. when it hit standing water and spun out of control, killing 1 and injuring 5, according to police reports.

Fort Worth police spokesman Pedro Criado said that the truck flipped over a guardrail and traveled about 200 feet before crashing to the ground.

Star-Telegram.com reports:

The left rear passenger in the truck, identified as 20-year-old Alexandria Gonzalez, died at the scene, according to the police report.

The driver, identified as a 17-year-old female, was injured and taken by ambulance to Harris Methodist Hospital where she was arrested. She could face intoxication manslaughter charges, Criado said.

The driver told officers that she had a couple of drinks, and police noted that she had bloodshot, watery eyes and the smell of alcohol on her breath, according to the police report.

Three of the eight in the vehicle at the time fled after the crash, Criado said.

Ambulances transported five people to the hospital, three with possibly life-threatening injuries and two with minor injuries, MedStar spokesman John Farris said.

The incident remains under investigation.

According to New Radio 13:

Wet roads due to weather conditions are being blamed for hundreds of accidents in Tarrant County Sunday morning. After months with very little rainfall, the showers that greeted Metroplex drivers late Sunday and early yesterday, caused havoc on the roadways. Over 200 traffic accidents were in reported in Tarrant County yesterday, 166 in Fort Worth and 55 in Arlington. One accident was fatal in Fort Worth late Sunday when a pickup truck with nine people on board flipped after hitting an area of standing water on Interstate 30. One passenger died and five others were injured.

Fort Worth nearby cities include Dallas, Garland, Irving and Abilene.

Truck Accidents 360 is a truck accident lawyer news blog that reports on up to date truck accidents, truck accident attorneys and legal news across the United States. Since trucking laws are governed by hundreds of regulations, consult with truck accident lawyers who know the trucking laws for Texas and each state.

Texas truck accident lawyer searches:
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Police shut down a section of the southbound lanes of State Route 340 as well as the entrance ramp to I-64 while highway crews worked to clear the debris and other material from the interstate

On Saturday morning truck driver Edgar Morales was driving a semi trailer truck south on Interstate 64 in Augusta County, VA. The semi was hauling a full load of building lumber in the trailer of the truck. It is not known where Mr. Morales was headed or the trucking company that owns the tractor trailer.

As Mr. Morales traveled through the area near Waynesboro, VA where the interstate junctures with Virginia State Route 340 he moved into the exit lanes of I-64 and attempted to leave the highway. As he was coming down the exit ramp he saw a stop sign at the end of the ramp and realized that he would be unable to stop his 18 wheeler rig in time to avoid a collision.

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The truck driver pulled the semi trailer truck into the southbound lanes of Virginia State Route 340. The sudden change in direction along with the speed of the semi apparently shifted the weight of the load of lumber or in some way threw the trailer truck off- balance. The rig tipped to its side and then the semi trailer truck overturned, landing across the southbound lanes of State Route 340.

No other persons or vehicles were involved in the truck accident.

Local emergency personnel form Augusta County and the city of Waynesboro responded to the scene of the rollover truck accident. The truck driver, Mr. Morales, was able to climb out of the cab of his semi trailer and was apparently not injured when the truck flipped over on the highway.

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Police shut down a section of the southbound lanes of State Route 340 as well as the entrance ramp to I-64 while highway crews worked to clear the debris and other material from the interstate. A large wrecker was brought to the site of the truck accident so crews could get the disabled semi trailer truck back upright and off the highway’s traffic lanes. The area would be closed for about three hours while the lanes were cleared.

Authorities conducted a reconstruction of the truck accident and also inspected the semi trailer truck for any equipment or mechanical defects. It is possible that the truck driver may have been driving too fast on the exit ramp at the time of the truck accident, however at this time authorities have not released their report.

At this point in the truck investigation, the truck driver, Mr. Morales, has been charged with Driving with Defective Equipment and Failure to Maintain Proper Control of the Vehicle.

Local emergency personnel and law enforcement officers responded to the scene of the truck accident. Police immediately shut down at least one of the northbound traffic lanes on the interstate.

At around 5:00 a.m. Tuesday morning Wilbert Reynolds of Baltimore, Maryland was driving a semi trailer truck north on Interstate 64 in Virginia. As the driver traveled through Newport News where the interstate passes over J. Clyde Morris Blvd. he apparently fell asleep and lost control of the 18 wheeler truck.

The semi trailer went off the interstate and crashed into the guardrail at the side of the road. The trailer truck then rolled over on its side and landed in a ditch. No other vehicles or persons were involved in the rollover truck accident.

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Local emergency personnel and law enforcement officers responded to the scene of the truck accident. The driver, Mr. Reynolds, was apparently not injured in the one vehicle collision and did not require transport to a hospital. Police immediately shut down at least one of the northbound traffic lanes on the interstate.

The police officers talked to Mr. Reynolds and after hearing his version of the incidents leading up to the truck accident charged him with reckless driving. It is not known if the driver was required to submit to a field sobriety test or toxicology screening.

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A second semi trailer was brought to the scene of the truck accident so that crews could offload the cargo from the disabled rig. When the trailer of the overturned truck was empty workers got it back on its wheels and towed it off the interstate.

The truck accident caused significant delays on the interstate, tying up traffic for miles during Tuesday morning’s commuter rush hours. The accident affected the northbound lanes of the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel which feeds onto I-64, backing up traffic for five miles to College Drive. Eastbound traffic was also backed up on the Midtown Tunnel with delays reaching back one mile to the Western Freeway/Route 164.

The interstate lanes were reopened at around 9:00 a.m. Tuesday and traffic began to flow more freely.

At this time it is not known if the additional charges will be brought against the truck driver. The truck accident is still under investigation.

Tractor trailers collide in truck accident near Utica New York

At around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, 53 year old Gerald Miller of Lockport, NY was traveling eastbound on the New York State Thruway. He was driving a 2004 International tractor truck, with two trailers attached…

As Mr. Miller was passing through the Schuyler area, his tractor trailer experienced some mechanical problems and stalled in the roadway. One later report said that the brakes on the 18 wheeler froze up and the tractor trailer truck was disabled.

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As the International tractor trailer truck stood disabled in the eastbound lanes, it was rear ended by a second semi truck.

After rear-ended the disabled Miller truck, the second tractor trailer went off the thruway and plowed into some trees at the side of the highway. The truck cab separated from the trailer during the impact of the truck accident and the load of palettes it was carrying was spilled, scattering all over the thruway.

The second tractor trailer truck was driven by 38 year old Ronald Schuck of Hollow Rock, Tennessee. He had a passenger, identified as 46 year old Acue Wicks, Jr.

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Emergency personnel responded to the truck accident scene. They treated and stabilized the driver of the second truck, Mr. Schuck and his passenger, and then transported both men to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica. One later report indicated at least one of the men had suffered serious injuries, but did not identify the person. The driver of the first truck, Mr. Miller, was not injured in the truck accident.

New York State Police responded to the scene of the truck accident. They shut down both eastbound lanes of the New York State Thruway and diverted traffic around the area. Crews were bought in to clean up the spilled cargo palettes and other debris from the highway.

The State Police reopened all eastbound lanes of the New York State Thruway shortly before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

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The multi truck accident is still under investigation. At this time there have been no charges or citations brought against either truck driver.

Mechanical failure is a common cause of truck accidents. The failure to maintain the cab, trailer, hydraulic brakes, air brakes or tires of a tractor-trailer rig can often result in serious truck accidents. The negligence to properly maintain a tractor-trailer, or 18-wheeler, can be the responsibility of the trucking company, a maintenance contractor, or the driver himself. Read more about poor truck maintenance and inspection records.

For more information about New York trucking laws, common causes of truck accidents,  or truck injury victims rights,  talk to a NY truck accident lawyer. For nationwide  information contact an experienced  truck accident attorney for the best advise possible. .

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

According to Deborah A.P. Hersman, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, fatigue “is one of the most insidious issues in the transportation industry,” and more must be done to fight it, she said.

“We establish a 72-hour prior history in every NTSB investigation,” Hersman said at the National Press Club in Washington Nov. 16. “Unfortunately, we find fatigue in more incidents and accidents than you would think.”

She said the NTSB has recommended the Federal Aviation Administration set hours of service rules for flight crews, aviation mechanics and air traffic controllers, stating it took Congress to change century-old rail employee hours of service rules.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which has issued truck driver hours of service rules three times since 2003, plans to propose a new HOS rule early next year. Read more.

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Watch video explaining truck safety regarding improper loads

STEVEN GORDON:  I’ve been asked to speak about improper loading or stacking of the cargo.  This is a problem that happens quite a bit.  There are various kids of loads.  There are pipes, there are boxes, containers, fluids, so obviously in each given instance of what the load is you have to look at was it improperly loaded or maintained or latched, lashed down.

Load issues can actually be dangerous for the trucker as well.  There was a trucker out in California recently killed because he had to stop and the load shifted and came right through the cab and killed him.

So, what you need to understand here when a load issue is a cause of an accident, it’s not just the trucker and the truck company, but it’s the loading company who loaded this that also could be at fault and if so should be sued.  So you may have more defendants to understand so the jury can assess where the fault lies.

But loading and improper loading cause many different accidents.  For instance, a trucker when he’s turning, it shifts, causes the truck to turn over and lands on somebody.  This often times results in an accident.

Improper lashing down of loads can cause you losing a load.  We’ve all seen on the interstate where when you’re driving along all of the sudden, you know, something is right there and it causes an accident.

That’s the fault of the trucker and the truck company and the loading company.

So improper loading can cause quite an extensive array of accidents, and your truck accident lawyer needs to understand this and assess the situation properly

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