The Department of Transportation for Washington State has finally filed a lawsuit against the driver, carrier, lead car driver, and the lead car driver’s employer that were involved in the collapse of the Skagit River Bridge back in May of 2013.
The accident caused a whole span of the bridge to drop into the water below, bringing two passenger vehicles along with it, causing minor injuries to three people. Repairs to the bridge were a top priority as it serves I-5 corridor, and repairs were completed in September – funded in large part by a $15.6 million federal emergency transportation grant.
WSDOT is filing a $17 million lawsuit and has named driver William Scott, his carrier Mullen Trucking LP, lead car driver Tammy Detray, and her company G&T Crawlers as responsible parties. Scott was hauling an oversized load which was too tall for the bridge and struck an overhead truss. According to accident reports, the vertical pole on Detray’s car that indicates the truck’s height struck the overhead truss multiple times, but Detray was talking on her cell phone at the time and didn’t warn the truck driver.
In a ruling issued last summer, the NTSB stated that Detray failed to perform safety checks and that the trucking company failed to properly plan the route that the oversized load would take, but also faulted the state for not providing more warning in advance of the low clearance.
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Robert says
How dumb can they get? Well here is your answer.
BigMontana says
As an oversizer I’m glad to see the investigation having shown the state partly at fault for not providing adequate warning, Washington is one of a few states which has removed nearly all height clearance signs, and even when I’m good, I find it nerve wracking.
They did this in an attempt to force liability onto the trucker, good to see at least in part it isn’t working.
Tim says
About six weeks ago I found myself shaking my head in disbelief while going around an oversized load that had smashed up against the overpass on the ramp that connects the northbound I-710 to the eastbound CA 91. It’s unimaginable to me that anyone hauling something like that could possibly not be shaking in their boots every time they pass beneath an overpass, no matter how high or low it is, let alone the ones that happen to be lower than their rig.
K Callihan says
Regardless of the state removing height clearance signs or anything else, the blame should lie with only the pilot car driver as it is the pilot car drivers responsibility to info the truck driver of any and all obstacles of safely moving the load which clearly was not done due to this reason as stated in the article ” Detray was talking on her cell phone at the time and didn’t warn the truck driver.”
denny says
Who always has the final say “” go or no go “”” DRIVER!!!!! This is why we preplan oversize loads period !!!!! 32 yr 19 axle driver!!!!! Oh and by the way “”” NO accidents!!!
379 SuperPete says
Your right about that one driver. I have a rule when I’m on the road and that’s don’t trust anyone but yourself. But I do understand if the pole truck just went under it and she didn’t holler back that it hit anything, I would ease across too.
Groo says
Sure, the driver has the final say about “go or no go”, but with no height signs and the pilot driver not giving warning like she was being paid to; how is truck driver supposed to know it is too low?
If I am running a route supposedly pre-planned for the truck’s height, following a lead driver that is supposed to give me warning in case of low clearance, and I see no signs warning me that the clearance is lower than my truck can fit under….I’m going to hit that bridge too, and I suspect so would you.
mike says
sometimes , due to a height issue ,the pilot car will have a pole attached to it and if that pole hits an overhead object then the load is also going to hit.the fault lies with both persons . the pilot car for not warning and the driver for not have a keen eye,but all it takes is a 1/4 inch.
David K says
Personally I quit heavy haul and hauling over-dimensional loads over 14’high ~( 15′ high only on some designated routes) and 14′ wide , just because all of 100% of the responsibilities of doing such work has been entirely diverted to the driver alone. (14′ high in the area between the Mississippi River and the Rockies. Everywhere else will not go over 13’6″ high. I don’t go west of the Rockies by choice – too much BS)
1: It’s clear that the Fed. DOT, state DOT’s, county and municipality authorities will not take any responsibilities for the proper cataloging and proper marking of the roads under their respective jurisdictions.
2: Those that are in authority to perform surveys for which they charge fees, those authorities that are issuing permits for which they charge fees, and everybody else in authority to setup required routing for such loads, will not take any responsibility either.
3: It looks like even those that are in business to provide the service to escort you and insure that all clearances and requirements are obeyed according to the surveys and permitting, are not taking responsibility either for their part.
4: The driver, an “unskilled laborer” according to labor laws, is solely held responsible 100% for every single aspect of transporting heavy and over-dimensional goods. He is expected to know all the clearances and ratings all over the country with no exception, even when these may change without notice due to repaving of road surfaces and/or infrastructure remodeling. He can not trust the posted signs because no one takes responsibility for the signs, nor he can trust any government issued clearances in any data base because they have disclaimers on everything. Often he doesn’t even have signs posted, but he’s gotta know everything about everything, and if not, than he’s gotta stop and measure at every place when in doubt, and he’s gotta do that without impeding traffic and praying to God that no one will run into his rig while he’s measuring the overpass/bridge.
You know what? Y’all can have this insanity for yourselves! Yea, you that think that you’re smarter that everybody else in the world.
I can do well without this crap!
George Dorman says
Been driving 35 yrs, and never had the desire or nerve to do oversized. I truly respect all the guys and gals who do. 3.5 more yrs on tankers and I’m goin fishing.
Jerry says
The State, when issuing special (oversize permits) should work out routing & authorize the designated route prior to issuing the permit. (negligent).
Curious, if any of the DOT empyloyees stated their concerns about erecting height warning signs prior to the accident but was overruled by their immediate supervisor, as unnecessary taxpayer expense. ..more ques.remain…?
David J says
As a OSL Pilot in Washington State this incident has been hashed and re-hashed here in the Northwest. The “funnel effect” was definitely at play here:
1. The State routed the load on the permit to use I-5 across that bridge.
2. The Pilot was using the phone irresponsibly and not paying attention to the pole clearance.
3. The driver and pilot were to close to each other to avoid an imminent hitting of ANYTHING due to not enough spacing.
4. The clearance of that particular bridge was arched so as clearance for the load was enough IF traveling in the left(hammer) lane, and not the right lane.
5. (AND as we all know the basic rule)… The Driver.
Interesting fact: The State of Washington had that bridge’s structural condition of that bridge listed as a “5” on its scale of strength and condition. “1” being the best condition, “5” being the worst. When the report first was released to the media the State claimed the bridge as a “5” but later revised the rating to a “4”. Interesting.?
Anyway, as a pilot and CDL “A” Current holder for twenty years, it all comes down to being professional and taking THE JOB seriously and without complacency. Washington State, because of it’s system of bridges and attention to “clearance maintenance”, keeps me and other responsible Pilots busy and prideful of our services towards safety for all. Happy motoring!
David J says
I would like to attach to my previous message the word; “ALLEGEDLY” to my comments because none of the rest of us were actually there at the time of the event, So I point to no one individual fully at fault. Remember, when you point a finger at someone, usually three fingers and a thumb are pointing back at the real problem. Happy motoring!
Paul Logan says
Let’s see now 1: submit of order. 2: oversize VERTICLE ? Where is the survey? 3: State approves or rejects.did I miss something?