Runaway Potatoes on 495 After Truck Overturns in Prince George’s County, Maryland

           Early this morning, a tractor trailer carrying thousands of potatoes overturned on the outer loop of the Capital Beltway in Prince George’s County.  The truck driver was injured in the accident that spilled the potatoes into the median of the highway.  Unfortunately, the driver needed to be flown to shock trauma in order to treat a significant arm injury.  This incident occurred just before the Pennsylvania Avenue exit in the Forestville area. 

            One lane was blocked during the morning rush hour creating a backup on the Capital Beltway.  Highway crews called in tractors to try and clean up the spill of potatoes and remove the overturned tractor trailer.  Police are investigating the cause of the crash and are considering the possibility that the driver fell asleep.  Drowsy driving is a serious problem, especially for truck drivers that are forced to drive through the night to meet deadlines.  To learn more about drowsy driving, take a look at our blog post on the topic.

            While it may be a little comical to see the pictures of potatoes all over the highway, we must remember that someone was seriously injured as a result of the accident.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another driver, including truck drivers who have fallen asleep behind the wheel, please call us today at (301) 854-9000 to set up an appointment at one of our office locations located throughout Maryland for a free case evaluation or visit us online: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/