A tractor-trailer got wedged under a bridge near Automobile Alley in Oklahoma City on Monday, its cab too tall to clear the overpass and its trailer damaged in the process. The crash blocked traffic on Northwest 6th Street near Oklahoma Avenue, turning a routine commute into a slow crawl around a red semi that had nowhere left to go.
According to KOCO, the cab of the semi struck the overpass because it was simply too tall to safely make it underneath. The impact caused damage to the trailer, and the whole mess brought traffic on the roadway to a standstill. A KOCO 5 viewer happened to catch the moments right after the cab hit the bridge, giving the station video of the aftermath.
Over-height truck strikes have been documented in research. Research cited by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that New York State alone has seen around 200 such strikes a year from over-height trucks.
Oklahoma’s Rules on Truck Height
Oklahoma has clear legal limits meant to prevent exactly this kind of incident. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority states plainly that it is illegal for trucks taller than 14 feet to travel the state highway system without permits and approved routes…