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All lanes on the Outer Loop of the Capital Beltway were closed for several hours on Monday, May 2, 2011, when a tanker truck crashed, overturned, and spilled its cargo, according to a WTOP report.
Ronald J. Sample, 39, of Baltimore, was heading eastbound on Interstate 495 when the accident occurred. When traffic suddenly started to stop, Sample tried to avoid striking a vehicle in front of him. Unfortunately, his truck swerved and overturned on its side. Sample was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He received a reckless driving charge.
Crews worked all morning removing the damaged truck and cleaning up the truck's cargo-used cooking oil.
We all know how dangerous large trucks can be. In this case, the truck driver was reckless because he wasn't able to control his tanker truck when traffic came to a stop. Luckily, though, the driver avoided a devastating crash with the stopped vehicles at the cost of slight injuries to himself, a damaged truck, spilled cargo, and a huge cleanup operation and traffic jam.
Cargo loads contribute to the risks associated with trucks. Unevenly distributed throughout the trailer, poorly secured, or shifting in sharp turns or sudden stops, cargo can throw the truck off balance and cause rollover or jackknifing crashes.
Read More About Capital Beltway Truck Crash and Cargo Spill...
