Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer John Fox discusses Toll Plaza Accident
Yesterday one person was left dead and two others were injured after a ShopRite Tractor Trailer crashed into a vehicle at a toll booth. NBC 10 stated a car or SUV stopped in lane 4 of a tollbooth, when a ShopRite tractor-trailer crashed into the vehicle, causing the vehicle to burst into flames. According to witnesses, the tractor trailer was swerving and moving quickly before the crash. A tollbooth worker was also injured as he ran towards the fire with an extinguisher.
Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer John Fox notes that accidents and tragedies like the one above are not uncommon at toll plazas. The Institute of Traffic Safety Engineers state, “Motorists must contend with multiple tasks – perceiving the changing road conditions, reaching the appropriate decision and then acting to enter or exit a toll lane, interact with the toll attendant and avoid crashing into another vehicle or the toll plaza.”
In fact, The Turnpike Commission has a plan to do away with the 76 toll plazas and toll collectors along the 545-mile Pennsylvania Turnpike, opting instead to turn the turnpike into an all-electronic tolling system. The Turnpike Commission cites speed and safety as a reason for the switch to an all-electronic toll system.
Below are Driving and Safety Tips, to avoid Toll Plaza Car Accidents:
• Be a defensive drive. Understand that some vehicles may need to switch lanes, and allow these vehicles to do so.
• Do not wait until the last minute to decide the appropriate lane for your type of vehicle. You should prepare for the plaza one to two miles before entering the tolls.
• Always follow posted speed reductions.
• Never get out of your vehicle, when traffic is at a standstill.
• Never come to a stop, and then reverse your car to change lanes.