Bay bridge truck accident claims life

There have been 44 crashes in the bridge's S-curve area since it opened September 8. Speed on the bridge seems to be the underlying cause of the crashes.

Last Friday morning, a motorcyclist rear-ended a truck that resulted in a broken leg for the motorcyclist and an hour long delay for San Francisco-bound drivers.

CHP Officer Trent Cross told CBS5 news that the driver was speeding at about 50 mph when the crash happened. The speed limit on most of the bridge is 50 mph, but the limit drops to 40 mph on the S-curve, with a maximum of 35 mph recommended on the sharpest curves.

The truck plunged over the northern side of the span and onto Yerba Buena Island, landing on its wheels. Thirty to 40 gallons of diesel fuel spilled when the big rig landed. No fuel reached the bay.

The Bay Bridge was closed last month for repairs and bumps were installed to let drivers know they were veering out of their lanes. More safety measures are scheduled for installation. The bottom line is that drivers need to slow down when driving on the bridge as excessive speed is causing senseless accidents.

Cheryl Phillips
HULIQ.com

CBS5