Tractor Trailer Falls off Bridge in Tulsa, OK Semi Truck Accident

January 17th, 2012 |

TULSA, OK – A semi truck driver is lucky to be alive after plunging from an overpass onto the railroad tracks below when his big rig crashed on a Tulsa, OK bridge on Thursday, January 5, 2012.

Tractor-trailer slumped over onto BNSF railroad tracks after semi truck plunges from Tulsa, OK bridge on January 5, 2012.

Tulsa is located in Tulsa County, Oklahoma in the northeastern part of the state about 122 miles northeast of Norman, 106 miles northeast of Oklahoma City and 55 miles northwest of Muskogee.

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The accident occured on the southbound U.S. 75 while the truck was exiting on the 23rd St bridge. The truck may have been moving too fast for the amount of load in the trailer. The trailer swayed to the left and went through the guard rail and off the bridge and the pulled the tractor off with it.

tulsa-ok-semi-truck-crashes-off-bridge-map

Map showing location of semi truck accident in Tulsa, OK from the southbound U.S. 75 to the 23rd St bridge and onto the railroad tracks below.

The 18 wheeler landed on some BNSF railroad tracks. The trailer landed first and the tractor and cab landed over the top of the trailer. This was lucky for the truck driver.

A spokesperson from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) commented that the trucker was fortunate that it was the trailer that pulled the tractor on top of it because the truck driver managed to crawl from the wreckage on his own. Had it been the other way around, he may not have survived the crash.

An article in the Newson6.com website reported on the story:

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Martin Stewart says the driver was exiting southbound when the truck’s trailer went over the guardrail and fell onto the tracks below. Stewart says the trailer pulled the truck’s cab over the guardrail and that is what saved the driver’s life.

The 37 year-old big rig driver was treated by paramedics at the scene and was transported to a local hospital. He was reported to be in fair condition.

There was some diesel fuel that leaked from the semi truck’s saddle tanks so firefighters from the Tulsa Fire Department were dispatched to the scene of the accident to deal with the hazardous materials cleanup. Fortunately, no evacuations had to be ordered.

The bridge was shut down for a short time while investigators and cleanup crews dealt with the accident. It was reported that the bridge did not sustain any structural damage – just the guardrail, so it was deemed safe for travel.

It was also fortunate that there were no train traffic at the time, either.

Truck Accident Lawyer News is a truck accident and personal injury blog that publishes up to date truck accident and truck legal news from across the United States. Oklahoma cities with a high incidence of truck accidents and vehicle collisions that result in severe personal injuries and even death include Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Norman and Muskogee, to name a few.