I-85 Accidents w/ Tractor Trailers (Columbia, Charleston: construction, living, law)

[ColaClemsonFan11]

While the construction is a major issue in causing so many accidents along 85 through the Upstate, it seems like one of the biggest issues to me are how some of the 18-wheelers drive through there. I have seen multiple times an 18-wheeler moving far too fast and several that make very tight lane changes simply to pass another truck. They also seem to ride through the area together when they should be more spaced out.

This is also not just an issue on 85, on 26 between the Upstate and Columbia, they seem make tight lane changes not to move over for merging traffic from an entrance ramp or disabled/ stopped vehicle on the shoulder, but to pass another truck. As 26 gets so crowded with only two lanes, I have seen this come very close to causing chain reaction crashes.

I'm certainly not trying to hate on truckers, they're awesome and I appreciate what they do but I wish we would raise penalties and enforce stricter laws for 18-wheelers making lane changes, riding in the left lane, riding in a group, and of course speed. While there are plenty of irresponsible drivers in cars, trucks are dangerous as is, much less one that is doing any of the aforementioned.

[myrc60]

IMO the speed limit needs to be lowered through Greenville especially during construction. 385 is 55. Why is 85 60? Also needs more enforcement on both highways. Too many crashes on 85 in the Upstate.

[5ForksSC]

The I 26 corridor between Columbia and exit 52 is a nightmare. Dangerous. I travel it weekly. Always stressful. I’ve wondered about the effect the inland port is having. With more goods being shipped between Charleston and Greer. Our leaders need to do a better job of planning.

[wedge71]

The I-85 corridor is one of the busiest for commercial truck traffic in the country, yet very little if anything is done to enforce traffic laws with the trucks. In my 6.5 years living very close to I-85, I have never seen the State Transport Police working I-85. They seem to mainly enforce around Columbia's interstates. That is totally unacceptable considering how widely known it is that I-85 is a very busy commercial corridor. Why don't the State Transport Police have a better presence in the Upstate?

[ColaClemsonFan11]

That's a good point, I don't know if I have ever seen a Transport Police Officer on 85 or 26 other than a weigh station for that matter.

However, I use to see them on 20 between Florence and Columbia all the time. IMO they need to re-allocate their troopers.

[UpstateJohn]

Originally Posted by 5ForksSC

The I 26 corridor between Columbia and exit 52 is a nightmare. Dangerous. I travel it weekly. Always stressful. I’ve wondered about the effect the inland port is having. With more goods being shipped between Charleston and Greer. Our leaders need to do a better job of planning.

Most of the inland port receives comes by rail. That was its purpose, to keep trucks off the road.

[UpstateJohn]

The company I work for has had ZERO accidents since 2007, and only 2 since 1999. Both were caused by drivers of other vehicles.

[wedge71]

Originally Posted by UpstateJohn

The company I work for has had ZERO accidents since 2007, and only 2 since 1999. Both were caused by drivers of other vehicles.

Could your company provide training to other commercial truck drivers?

[wedge71]

Originally Posted by UpstateJohn

Most of the inland port receives comes by rail. That was its purpose, to keep trucks off the road.

You are correct that rail is a huge component of the Inland Port, but another huge component is loading those materials that come in from rail onto trucks which end up right on I-85. I believe this thread was started because of the accident on I-85S at Pelham this morning involving a double hitch Old Dominion tractor trailer plowing into the back of stopped traffic killing someone in a non-commercial vehicle.


As someone who use to commute that stretch of 85 for five years up until recently, I can confirm commercial trucks fly through there with traffic in the right two lanes at a standstill. I know non-commercial vehicles cause most wrecks, basic math will tell you that because there are way more personal vehicles on the road than commercial trucks. The sad fact is the few bad truck drivers out there stick out like a sore thumb because trucks are just so inheritably dangerous to begin with. Rarely does a truck driver die in an accident involving their truck, but the personal vehicle driver dies quite a bit regardless of who is at fault.


https://www.foxcarolina.com/news/i--...0c22fca7d.html

[bikeoid]

Originally Posted by wedge71

In my 6.5 years living very close to I-85, I have never seen the State Transport Police working I-85.

It has become more difficult to do any traffic enforcement on I85 with active construction since there is no shoulder. In some cases, the transport police enforce on feeder roads - such as Hwy 72 in Clinton. I don't know if this is a general strategy in other areas.

Even with the move-over law and no active construction, any stop on the shoulder is very dangerous in heavy traffic. There were a series of deaths in Illinois over the past year from trucks taking out a first responder, including one of a truck trying to move over but contacting another vehicle, then veering *back* into a trooper.

As the well trained truckers would say, most dangerous incidents are created by careless car drivers.