A reminder of highway’s danger
It happened again.An accident on Interstate 81 involving a tanker truck carrying dangerous chemicals shut down the highway in both directions for several hours. The inconvenience of sitting in traffic for hours is nothing compared to what could happen.
Virginia State Police 1st Sgt. Danny Glick’s comment that sulfuric acid is “ very dangerous, very flammable and very deadly” underscores the seriousness of this accident. Fortunately, there were no injuries, no loss of life – this time. But what about the next time? Or the next time after that? A very serious accident is only a statistical roll of the dice away.
Perhaps the news of this accident – coupled with the news that the state’s funding to widen I-81 has stalled – should tell us something. Widening I-81 to accommodate more truck traffic is not the answer. Upgrading our nation’s rail service so that it can carry the bulk of our freight is. We need to take these 18-wheel ticking time bombs off the same roads our families travel. Doing so will save fuel, save money, save the environment – and save lives.
Bob Greene Jr.
Bristol, Va.
Advertisement
View More:
No tags are associated with this article
Not what you're looking for? Try our quick search:
Advertisement