Fiery Utah Tanker Crash Spills Thousands of Oil on I-15

St. Patrick’s Day did not begin well for Interstate 15 commuters near Roy who are in a traffic standstill this morning. Around 5 am on March 17, 2010, the 55-year-old driver of a semi pulling two fuel-filled tankers crashed into the median on the 5600 South overpass on I-15. The Salt Lake tanker accident spilled over 5 thousand gallons of oil and caught fire. Emergency crews quickly responded and put out the fire before any explosions. Fortunately, there were no other vehicles involved in this potentially catastrophic Salt Lake semi truck accident. The driver of the semi has been treated minor injuries.

Drowsy Driving Caused this Utah Semi Truck Accident

Although the Utah Highway Patrol has administered a blood test to the driver of the semi in order to find out if this Salt Lake City semi truck accident case is alcohol related, ABC news reports that the driver of the semi has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel when the Utah Tanker accident occurred.

Utah Statistics on Drowsy Driving Fatalities

Data from the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) demonstrates that Utah has averaged 1,200 crashes and 32 deaths per year that are caused by drowsy driving. Nationally, each year 100,000 motor vehicle crashes are caused by fatigued drivers—killing more than 1,500 Americans and injury another 71,000 Americans.

UHP officer Lee Perry stated in a recent KSL interview, “Being a drowsy driver, being a tired driver, is a dangerous driver. You’re just as dangerous as any drunk driver we’re ever going to see out there and we’ve got to stop people from driving that way.”

Sleep Smart Drive Smart Campaign provides an interesting fact: Being awake for 20 hours strait is equal to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% which is legally drunk and leaves you at risk for a crash.

If you or a loved one has become a victim of a semi truck or big rig accident, it is well advised to contact a skilled Salt Lake City trucking accident attorney that can advise you of your legal rights and benefits. Feel free to contact The Christensen Law Firm, PLLC, at (801) 506-0800.