Bridge Strike
Nadia takes her usual underpass. A truck on the wrong route meets a bridge it cannot clear.
Explore the real law behind this episodeTranscript
TSLNadia took the underpass to work every day. Same route, same coffee, same low bridge.
Tom BriggsThe bridge was too low. Take that up with the city.
JenThe clearance is posted three times before that bridge. His truck was a foot too tall, and he was on a car-GPS route, not a truck route. He drove a wall into a bridge.
TSLThe bridge didn't move. It's been that height for fifty years. He's the only thing that changed.
NadiaA truck hit a bridge, and the bridge won. Then the truck landed on my Tuesday.
TSLShe drove the safe route, the boring route, the right route. Somebody else just didn't read the sign.
Bridge Strike: Truck Height and Route Planning
Nadia takes her usual underpass when a truck hits the bridge. Posted clearance and the selected route become crucial evidence.
Know the vehicle and the route
ADOT’s CDL manual discusses overhead clearance and accounting for vehicle and road conditions. A navigation route cannot establish that a truck fits beneath every structure.
Actual loaded height, bridge clearance, and approach lane need reliable documentation. Clearance can vary across an opening. A map entry does not replace the route’s specific conditions, including resurfacing or temporary changes.
Preserve warnings and planning records
Approach-sign photographs, route instructions, dispatch, navigation history, dimensions, and permit restrictions can explain how the truck arrived. Record where warnings first became visible and what alternatives were available.
Do not assume a GPS record proves the driver followed a car route. Identify device settings, route use, and available warnings. Distinguish later sign or roadway changes from conditions at the time.
Trace how the strike harmed others
Bridge damage, debris, the truck’s path, and nearby video can show how Nadia became involved. Reasonable-speed requirements may bear on the approach, while height and route remain separate questions. The bridge’s long existence does not alone establish every party’s responsibility.
Questions this episode raises
- Does following GPS excuse a bridge strike?
- A route recommendation does not establish clearance. Dimensions, warnings, knowledge, and decisions require review.
- Is posted clearance the only measurement needed?
- No. Vehicle height and actual approach conditions may need documentation or expert assessment.
Sources and further reading
Episode explanation by Impact Legal. Updated .