Texas Truck Accident: Ammonia Spill of Houston
Posted by Jeremy Steinbren on September 27, 2011 under Personal Injury | 
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As one of the largest states in the U.S., Texas has thousands of miles of highway stretched across the state. Its proximity to Mexico makes it an ideal thoroughfare both into and out of the country. I-35 is a particularly popular trade route and is regularly filled with truck traffic. While Texas
Around 11 a.m. on May 11, 1976, a Transport Company of Texas tanker truck carrying 7,509 gallons of anhydrous ammonia, or ammonia, hit a bridge rail on an overpass connecting the Southwest Freeway and the Loop. The truck went through the rail and ended up falling roughly 15 feet onto the Southwest Freeway.
Common Problems that Lead to Accidents- Many trucking accidents are caused by a handful of common problems that could be prevented, including: Defective truck parts, particularly defective brakes
Worn out equipment that has not been properly maintained and replaced, such as bald tires and worn brake pads.
Top heavy trucks caused by loading a truck too close to the weight limit
Inexperienced or overworked drivers
Allowing drivers with drug and alcohol problems to operate trucks
While some problems are unforeseeable, the above errors could typically be prevented if the proper checks were performed.
More Than One in Five Trucks Failed Announced Safety Inspections- In June 2009, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance conducted comprehensive roadside inspections across the U.S. The trucking industry was given four months advance notice of these inspections, so companies had ample warning to fix potential problems. Still, 22.2% of trucks failed inspection and were taken out of service. States with the highest rate of federal safety violations were West Virginia, North Dakota, Nebraska, Vermont and Iowa.
Learn more about how to get justice with Texas Truck Injury Attorneys.
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