Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Injured in Interstate 81 Accident

Dandridge, TN (August 5, 2020) A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper was hospitalized on August 5th after a semi-truck collided with the trooper’s parked vehicle on Interstate 81. In the moments before the collision, the trooper was driving north on Interstate 81 and was in the process of moving from the left lane to the right shoulder with emergency lights activated. The trooper was attempting to slow down traffic where nearby workers were mowing trees in the median.

When the trooper moved into the right lane, she drove into the semi-truck’s path. Even though the semi-truck swerved, it was unable to stop or avoid the collision. The semi-truck hit the trooper’s vehicle, which slid several feet and spun over several times before stopping in the middle of Interstate 81 North. The semi-truck also rolled over. Both the trooper and the semi-truck driver were taken to the hospital. As a result of the collision, the interstate was shut down for several hours and traffic was diverted onto Interstate 40 while the collision was cleared and an investigation was performed.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that in 2019, large trucks played a role in 11.7% of all work zone accidents involving injuries and 30.4% of all work zone accidents involving fatalities.

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When semi-trucks are involved in accidents, the results are often devastating. If you or a loved one needs the assistance of a skilled accident attorney, do not hesitate to contact Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette today.

Note: This post was written based on available resources, news stories, and online reports about this incident. As is often the case with fast breaking news, there is always the risk that some details are still being shared and uncovered. Please contact us if you notice any information that should be changed or added. Thanks!