First responders are pleading with truck drivers to make sure they're driving safely after another raised truck bed slammed into an overpass over the weekend.
A construction truck’s raised bed struck the River Road overpass on the Capital Beltway Sunday afternoon, and a car was mangled by the truck’s tires and bed.
"Fortunately, there was no serious injuries, but it created quite a mess,” said Pete Piringer of Montgomery County Fire & Rescue. “Obviously, the bridge needed to be inspected. There was a significant cleanup and investigation that took place."
First responders say it could have been a matter of life and death.
“For those of us that saw the vehicle, it was pretty amazing,” Piringer said. “I wouldn't call it, necessarily, a miracle, but the driver was very fortunate that they got out basically unscathed."
The truck driver was issued a citation and charged with negligent driving.
There have been similar incidents in the area recently. A truck driver on westbound Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia with the bed of the truck raised slammed into an overpass. No one was seriously hurt.
Transportation
Reporter Adam Tuss and the News4 team are covering you down on the roads and in transit.
On Interstate 95 in Fairfax County, a truck with its bed raised slammed into an overhead sign.
"This is why we build taller bridges,” said Ellen Kamilakis of the Virginia Department of Transportation.
“The pedestrian bridge that we built in Tysons a couple of years ago is 22 feet high to avoid things like this," she said.
First responders plead with construction companies to properly check their vehicles before they're allowed on the road.
News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.
