Bridge Strike Accidents in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is home to many bridges, including iconic structures like the Pony Bridge, which crosses Route 66, and the SkyDance pedestrian bridge. Unfortunately, sometimes large commercial trucks scrape beneath or strike bridges, causing extensive structural damage. Even worse, bridge strike truck accidents in Oklahoma City can cause serious injuries.
If you’ve suffered injuries from a bridge strike accident, contact the truck accident attorney in Oklahoma City at Dan Davis Law.
Understanding Bridge Strike Dangers in Oklahoma City
Large commercial trucks tower over others on the road. Although most major interstate highways are designed to accommodate commercial trucks, many secondary roads have low-clearance bridges that require commercial trucks to reroute under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) regulations.
Bridge strikes occur when a commercial vehicle’s height is too tall to fit the clearance area below a bridge. When a truck driver misjudges a bridge’s clearance height, fails to follow FMCSA regulations, ignores warning signs, or over-relies on GPS navigation, the truck may strike the bridge while attempting to pass through. Unfortunately, this sometimes happens while the truck is traveling at a significant speed, causing serious structural damage to the bridge.
When a truck strikes a bridge, traffic behind it in both directions sometimes collides with the truck, often resulting in multi-car pileups. Traffic accidents may also occur on the bridge due to the impact. Our team of Oklahoma City truck accident lawyers can help investigate these complex accidents to determine all parties responsible for your injuries.
Common Causes of Bridge Strike Accidents in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City bridge strike accidents typically result from preventable errors and negligence. Understanding these common causes can help identify liability in your claim:
- Driver Error: Misjudging vehicle height or failing to check clearance measurements before proceeding
- Ignoring Warning Signs: Disregarding posted low-clearance signs and height restriction warnings
- Inadequate Route Planning: Trucking companies failing to plan routes that avoid low-clearance bridges
- GPS Navigation Errors: Over-reliance on GPS systems that may not account for commercial truck height restrictions
- Insufficient Driver Training: Lack of proper training on measuring clearance heights and reading restriction signs
- Overloaded Cargo: Improperly loaded or stacked cargo that extends beyond the truck’s normal height
- Equipment Modifications: Unauthorized modifications that increase the vehicle’s height beyond specifications
- Poor Visibility Conditions: Failing to account for weather conditions that obscure bridge clearance signs
- FMCSA Violations: Non-compliance with federal regulations regarding vehicle height and route restrictions
- Inadequate Signage: Government agencies failing to provide clear, visible warning signs for low-clearance bridges
In nearly all cases, bridge strike accidents are entirely preventable when truck drivers, trucking companies, and other parties take reasonable care and follow established safety regulations. When negligence leads to a bridge strike that causes injuries, the responsible parties can be held financially accountable for the damages.
An experienced truck accident attorney can identify which of these causes contributed to your accident and build a strong case for compensation.
Who Is Liable for Damages After an Oklahoma City Bridge Strike Accident?
There are multiple entities involved in keeping a commercial truck well-maintained and safely driven by a qualified driver. It often takes a deep investigation after a bridge strike accident to determine the liable party or multiple parties that contributed to the accident under Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence laws.
Common liable parties in Oklahoma City bridge strike accident claims include the following:
- A negligent truck driver for ignoring low-clearance signs
- A trucking company for insufficient driver training, negligent hiring practices, or issuing the wrong driving route
- A negligent freight loading company for overloading an open-bed truck to an extended height
- A truck navigation GPS company for mistaken information
- A city, county, or state road agency for inadequate signage
Proving liability requires evidence that the at-fault party owed a duty of care to the injury victim, that they violated the duty of care, and that the violation of the duty caused the accident and injuries. Finally, the injury victim must show that they suffered economic and non-economic damages, such as medical expenses, lost income, pain, and suffering.
A skilled truck accident lawyer in OKC can gather the necessary evidence to build a compelling case and prove liability.
How Can an Oklahoma City Truck Accident Attorney From Dan Davis Law Help?
Bridge strike accident claims are complex and require careful navigation, often against powerful trucking companies and government agencies. Contact Dan Davis Law at (405) 930-4210 online to learn how an experienced truck accident lawyer can help you maximize your financial recovery with prompt, assertive action.