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We have written extensively about the dangers posed by garbage trucks and dump trucks in Virginia.
However, the scale of an accident in Scotland in which an out-of-control garbage truck killed six pedestrians and left seven people badly injured.
The Herald newspaper said witnesses described bodies lying in the road after the tragedy in Glasgow city center. The tragedy occurred just a year after 10 people died in Glasgow when a police helicopter crashed on to the roof of the pub on November 29 last year.
A witness told the media: “The bin lorry (garbage truck) just lost control. It went along the pavement, knocking everyone like pinballs. It only came to a stop when it hit a building.
“There was a baby in a buggy, and it just continued knocking people down until it ended up in the
Superintendent Stewart Carle said the truck struck several pedestrians as it careered along the road.
“I can’t confirm how many fatalities there have been because it is over a number of sites,” he said in the Herald report.
The cause of the truck crash in Glasgow was not immediately clear. The media reports cited unconfirmed information that the driver, who survived it, might have suffered a heart attack. The driver of the lorry was taken to a local hospital and was being treated, police said.
The accident again highlights the dangers posed by garbage trucks whatever country they are in. These trucks are typically bulky and are used in urban or residential areas. They have blind spots and can be a real danger to pedestrians and other road users.
Here are some dangers posed by garbage trucks:
1 – Unsafe backing up which can injure or kill pedestrians or cyclists. Children are particularly vulnerable.
2 Failure to check bling sports – There are many blind spots and a driver’s failure to check them can have devastating consequences.
3 Illegal parking – Parking illegally in places can endanger pedestrians and other road users
4 Driver fatigue – Fatigue on the behalf of is endemic in the trucking industry due to long hours and physical demands. Drivers can also suffer from a host of medical problems such as sleep apnea.
If you have been injured in an accident involving a dump truck or a garbage truck you may have grounds to file a lawsuit against a driver, a trucking company or a city, in the case of a garbage truck. Call our Virginia trucking accident lawyers at 757.455.0077.