Posted in Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law,Truck Wreck on December 21, 2015
Interstate 40 and Interstate 65 Temporarily Close after Accidents in Nashville
Accidents on Interstate 40 and Interstate 65 in Nashville over the weekend caused both interstates to temporarily close as emergency responders worked to clear the accident scenes. According to reports by wkrn.com, the first accident occurred in the southbound lanes of I-65 at around 8:40 a.m. near mile marker 87 and East Trinity Lane.
It’s unclear at this time whether anyone was injured in the accident. Police and emergency responders closed the southbound lanes for around 30 minutes before reopening the roadway to traffic. A second accident over the weekend occurred on Sunday around 9 a.m. on the entrance ramp to I-40 in Nashville after a semi-truck overturned and blocked the roadway.
Police say that as a result of the accident, the truck spilled fuel across the road at Briley Parkway South, causing them to close the roadway to all drivers as they worked to clean up the spill. The on-ramp was closed for several hours, as police didn’t reopen the road until 3 p.m. after clearing the accident scene and removing the spilled gasoline.
What Are Common Reasons for Road Closures?
The Tennessee Highway Patrol and local police forces throughout the state are always on call to respond to accident scenes and various incidents on streets, highways, and interstates. Although many incidents are minor and are quickly resolved, some involve significant injuries or property damage and may result in roadways being closed for hours or even days as emergency responders work to clear accident scenes or make the area safe for motorists.
Some of the most common reasons that roadways are closed in Tennessee include the following:
Car accidents that cause one or more victims to suffer serious or life-threatening injuries often result in emergency responders closing a roadway as they work to treat the victims at the accident scene or arrange transportation to get them to a hospital for treatment. Accidents involving multiple vehicles that physically block the roadway or make it difficult and dangerous for vehicles to pass also often result in roadways being closed for long periods of time.
Certain weather conditions can make driving extremely dangerous, including dense fog or heavy accumulations of snow and ice. Many roadways, highways, and interstates in Tennessee are closed throughout the year due to these weather conditions, especially in areas of high elevation or in areas where dense fog is common and frequently contributes to accidents.
Although most road repairs close only a single lane of traffic on highways and interstates, occasionally the job requires closing all lanes of traffic. When that happens, detours are set up to allow drivers to reach their destination while avoiding the stretch of roadway where repairs or construction are taking place.
Thousands of trucks carrying a huge variety of goods and raw materials use Tennessee’s highways and interstates every day. When one of them is involved in an accident, the results can be disastrous not only to the victims of the accident, but to everyone who uses the roadway. Trucks often carry chemicals or gases that are toxic, corrosive, or hazardous to human health, and when those chemicals or gases are spilled in the event of an accident, emergency responders and professional clean-up crews may be forced to close the roadway for a long period of time.
If you encounter a road closure, it’s important to always follow the instructions, whether they’re displayed on roadside signs or displayed on an electronic message board on a highway or interstate. Taking a detour can be inconvenient and may delay your travels, but it can also help keep you and your loved ones safe.
After an accident that wasn’t your fault, it’s important that you protect your rights to receive full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other accident-related expenses. To find out how the Nashville truck accident attorneys at Matt Hardin Law may be able to help you during this time, just dial (615) 200-1111 or complete a free online form today.
