Bridge Strikes Aren’t Accidents—They’re Negligence
Every year, trucks, construction vehicles, and oversized loads collide with bridges and overpasses across Ohio. These crashes are violent, often deadly, and almost always preventable. And yet they keep happening—because somewhere along the line, someone failed to do their job. The word “accident” implies randomness, but bridge strikes are anything but random.
How Bridge Strikes Happen—and Who’s at Fault
Every bridge in Ohio has a posted height clearance. Every commercial vehicle has a known height. The math isn’t complicated. When a truck with a raised bed, an oversized load, or an improperly documented vehicle height hits a bridge, it means something in the chain of responsibility broke down.
That breakdown has a cause—and it has an owner. Depending on the circumstances, liability in a bridge strike can fall on several parties:
- The driver, for failing to check vehicle height, ignoring posted clearance signs, or operating equipment in an unsafe condition, such as a raised dump truck bed.
- The trucking or construction company, for inadequate pre-trip inspection protocols, poor driver training, or pressure to meet deadlines at the expense of safety.
- A maintenance contractor, if a mechanical failure—like a hydraulic system that prevented a bed from lowering—contributed to the strike.
- A cargo or loading company, if improper loading created an unexpected height issue.
Ohio law allows injured victims to pursue claims against multiple parties simultaneously, which matters enormously in cases where responsibility is shared or disputed.
The Consequences Go Beyond the Driver
Bridge strikes don’t just hurt the person behind the wheel:
- Debris can rain down on other vehicles
- Structural damage can render a bridge unsafe for other motorists who cross it daily
- Passengers in the truck cab can sustain catastrophic injuries
- Bystanders can find themselves in the path of a crash they had no way to see coming
If you were injured in a bridge strike—as a passenger, another motorist, or a bystander—the fact that you weren’t driving doesn’t limit your right to compensation. It may even strengthen your claim.
Don’t Let “It Was an Accident” Close Your Case
Insurance companies and trucking firms move fast after a serious crash. Evidence gets documented on their terms. Don’t let their version of events be the only one on record.
The Law Offices of Tim Misny can help you with your truck accident claim. When negligence on the road puts innocent people in danger, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at (877) 614-9524 so I can evaluate your case right away.
