In December of 2019, a firetruck from the Richland Fire Department ran off the road and flipped, and another truck from the same company was called to respond to the accident. Thankfully, firefighter Jerry Mills who was driving the truck that flipped made a full recovery from his injuries from the crash. Though accidents involving fire trucks don’t happen as often as other vehicular accidents, they easily can become very dangerous for everyone involved.
After an accident with a firetruck, you could be seriously injured, out of work, and left with bills for tons of damage. A Lexington personal injury lawyer from the Law Office of Todd W. Burris can help you recover compensation for all of the damages you’ve endured from your accident.
The Dangers of Fire Truck Accidents
Emergency workers, like firefighters, are who we turn to when we have an accident. We think of them as heroes, but sometimes they need saving as well. Car crashes are the second leading cause of death for on-duty firefighters, and there are about 30,000 wrecks every year. They’re especially dangerous to firefighters because they don’t tend to buckle their seat belts in the firetruck, so the risk of injury is increased when they get into an accident. Rollovers are especially deadly for this reason.
Rollover crashes cause more injuries and fatalities than non-rollover crashes for fire trucks, according to an article published by the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine. Rollover accidents can be classified as tripped or un-tripped. Tripped rollovers are caused by objects, like curbs, guardrails, ditches, or other vehicles. Un-tripped rollovers are caused by driving maneuvers, like a sudden turn of the steering wheel.
When drivers don’t move out of the way for an emergency vehicle, they can easily become an obstruction in the road to a fire truck and could cause an accident. FEMA’s Emergency Vehicle Safety Initiative reports that about 70% of fire truck accidents occur while they are in emergency use, which is why it’s important to move over and slow down if you see an emergency vehicle approaching or stopped on the road.
Intersections are also dangerous spots in the road for fire trucks. Even though they can control traffic lights and turn them green before they enter the intersection, other drivers on the road don’t always pay attention, or can’t slow down in time, and end up colliding with the truck. On top of this, fire trucks aren’t as well-lit as other emergency vehicles, so always remain vigilant while driving because emergency vehicles could be on their way to a scene at any time.
How Often Are Fire Trucks Called to Scene?
One of the reasons that fire trucks get into accidents is because they’re emergency vehicles and when they’re on the road, it’s usually because they’re speeding to get to a destination where someone is in grave danger and needs their immediate assistance. Fire trucks don’t only dispatch to fires. They are also called to car accidents and other medical emergencies to help paramedics if the team in the ambulance cannot handle the situation on their own.
When it comes to car accidents, fire trucks are dispatched when the wreck is especially bad. If the car has a chance of catching on fire, or the jaws of life are needed, then the fire department will arrive on the scene to save anyone involved.
Contact the Law Office of Todd W. Burris
After any kind of accident where you’re left with damages and injuries, you could use a Lexington personal injury lawyer who can represent you and defend your rights. If you’ve been injured in an accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Law Office of Todd W. Burris. Our experienced team will provide you with the legal support you need to get your case up and running.
