Wednesday, March 18, 2015

TRUCK HAULING 30,000 POUNDS OF LIVE LOBSTER FLIPPED TO ITS SIDE ON I-95 WHEN THE DRIVER MADE AN EVASIVE MANEUVER TO AVOID STRIKING A CAR





MARCH 18, 2015


BENTON, MAINE
Maine State Police say one lane of Interstate 95 in Benton will be closed for the day after a tractor-trailer carrying 30,000 pounds of live lobsters from Nova Scotia went off the road early this morning.

Spokesman Stephen McCausland said a crane will be needed to get the truck upright and inspect the cargo. The passing lane of the southbound lanes is closed. The wreck took place along the straight stretch known as the Benton Flats at mile 135. The driver, Horst Puff of Greenfield, Nova Scotia, said he swerved to avoid striking a car that had spun out in front of him. The truck ended up on its side in the median. The driver was not injured.

In addition to one lane being closed, the entire southbound side will be closed for a time during the day to allow equipment to upright the truck and remove the cargo. The fate of the lobsters is not clear, McCausland said.

There goes our lobster meal.  What a shame.  I hope they saved the crustaceans.

This is a very typical accident involving big rigs that carry a load: a car cuts off the truck and the truck driver then makes an evasive maneuver to avoid hitting the car.  Little he knows that the truck will rollover, flip to its side or crash as these trucks cannot be subjected to such movements.  The load maybe imbalanced or may move during the evasive maneuver, making the truck a live bullet in a game of Russian roulette.