Loaded large trucks are dangerous vehicles. Accidents involving big rigs, such as log trucks, can result in catastrophic injuries and death. The logging industry in Georgia is large: there is a good number of trucks loaded with logs on highways, interstates, and local roadways. It’s very common for motorists to see 18-wheeelers and semi-trucks laden with logs up to 10 feet high. It takes only a simple mistake in securing the logs or a slight driving error for a major log truck accident to occur.
An accident involving a log truck and 3 other vehicles in Georgia caused six people to suffer injuries, including a 7-year-old girl who was listed in critical condition. According to reports, a 52-year-old woman from Macon driving a 1997 Oldsmobile Achiva pulled out of the Chambers Pointe Apartments just in front of a log truck driven by a 53-year-old Forsyth man. The log truck operator, driving east on Chambers Road, tried to avoid the Achiva but lost control and struck the vehicle and a 2008 Chevy Malibu. The series of impacts caused the log truck to overturn, and some of the logs being hauling struck a 1985 Nissan pickup.
The people involved in the accident were taken to the Medical Center of Georgia. All the drivers of the four vehicles suffered minor injuries and were listed in stable condition. A 30-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter, both passengers in the Chevy Malibu, were hospitalized for severe injuries. The woman was listed in stable condition. The young girl, who sustained a head injury, was listed in critical but stable condition.
Because log trucks and their drivers are generally not subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations like other commercial trucks, they are often improperly maintained and can be very dangerous. In addition, log truck drivers have no limitation on the number of hours they work and are not required to undergo proper training on securing cargo. People injured by the negligence of a log truck driver should speak with a personal injury attorney to protect their rights and best interests.
