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19-year-old Bicyclist Killed in Tractor-Trailer Collision

According to Stuart Police, a 19-year-old was killed after a collision with a tractor trailer on U.S 1, just south of the Roosevelt Bridge. Cpl. Brian Bossio , Stuart police spokesperson stated that the accident happened about 11:40 a.m. as the bicyclist, Austin Robert Gilliam, of Port Lucie, and the southbound tractor-trailer collided.

Bossio stated that the details of how the collision occurred remains under investigation. There are sidewalks on both sides of U.S 1 in the area. He said there are no indications that the tractor-trailer driver was impaired. Bossio stated police are interviewing witnesses, and taking various measurements as part of the case.

 

 

Ryan St. Martin, who works at LubeDirect just north of the crash scene, said people associated with the nearby marina frequently ride bicycles in the area. He said he’s seen several crashes in the last year. “That’s the worst, though,” he said.
As trucks are significantly larger and heavier than other vehicles, even a minor driving error is an extreme hazard to those sharing the road, street or highway. Trucks carry heavy loads which, if not loaded correctly, are at risk of shifting during transport. When a load shifts, the driver may attempt to overcompensate thus causing the truck to swerve, tip over or jackknife. This seems very likely when involving a bicyclist. When you take into consideration a large truck can weigh more than 10,000 pounds, and a fully-loaded tractor trailer can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds or more, the resulting damage to surrounding vehicles, drivers and passengers is very likely to prove catastrophic or fatal. This fact holds true, no matter the speed at which the truck is traveling.

There are many factors that  could contribute to these fatal truck accidents. Truck accidents can be caused by tired drivers, at the end of an excessively long haul, who may fall asleep at the wheel, or be operating a vehicle at some level of impaired awareness and response time. Truck driver error or negligence should not be discounted as the cause, as both of these factors can play a key role in trucking accidents. Other situations which commonly lead to deadly and dangerous truck accidents in the West Palm Beach area are excessive speed, an overloaded truck, equipment failure, defective or improperly maintained truck parts, poor visibility or bad weather, unsafe road conditions, and drunk driving.

If you have been recently injured in a truck accident, you need to immediately seek legal counsel from a veteran truck accident lawyer. The dedicated staff at the Law Offices of Casey D. Shomo, P.A. have years of experience advising the victims of injury accidents and we are committed to aggressively advocating for victims’ rights. We know what it takes to determine liability in an accident, and we work closely with our clients to build a strong case with the objective of recovering the maximum financial compensation possible.
Source:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/local-news/stuart/person-killed-after-tractortrailer-strikes-bicyclist-at-foot-of-roosevelt-bridge-in-stuart_35856682
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