This is what happens when you have a serious shortage of truckers. A truck driver attempted to cross a historic bridge in Indiana on Christmas Day only to find a 136-year-old bridge that was no match for her 21.5-ton truck.
Mary Lambright, who gained her CDL in May of this year, missed her exit while hauling a load of water bottles last week. After several attempts to get back on the freeway, Lambright found herself at an old iron bridge that spanned across Lick Creek in Paoli, IN. This bridge was not an unknown element to Lambright. After all, it was built in 1880. She told police that she had crossed the bridge while driving her personal vehicle many times, WHAS11 reported. She was also aware of the six-ton weight limit thanks to a sign posted near the entrance to the bridge. The sign even said 'no semis'. Still, she attempted to cross it in a tractor trailer with 43,000 pounds of water bottles in tow. Perhaps she was expecting a Christmas miracle. It's more likely, however, that she didn't do the math. If she had, she'd have known that 43,000 pounds equals a whopping 21.5 tons. She told police she wasn't aware of the weight of the cargo she was hauling, which seems like truck-driving 101 stuff to us.
First she lost the top of the truck thanks to the bridge's low rafters. Undeterred, she continued until the bridge then did what bridges do when they're overloaded to the extreme - it collapsed. Lambright and her 17-year-old cousin who was riding with her in the cab escaped with no injuries. She was cited for reckless operation of a tractor trailer and disregarding traffic signs. These tickets probably won't break her bank account, and Lambright will most likely be allowed by the state to keep her CDL. Her job with Louisville Logistics on the other hand, might collapse as quickly as an overladen bridge
Mary Lambright, who gained her CDL in May of this year, missed her exit while hauling a load of water bottles last week. After several attempts to get back on the freeway, Lambright found herself at an old iron bridge that spanned across Lick Creek in Paoli, IN. This bridge was not an unknown element to Lambright. After all, it was built in 1880. She told police that she had crossed the bridge while driving her personal vehicle many times, WHAS11 reported. She was also aware of the six-ton weight limit thanks to a sign posted near the entrance to the bridge. The sign even said 'no semis'. Still, she attempted to cross it in a tractor trailer with 43,000 pounds of water bottles in tow. Perhaps she was expecting a Christmas miracle. It's more likely, however, that she didn't do the math. If she had, she'd have known that 43,000 pounds equals a whopping 21.5 tons. She told police she wasn't aware of the weight of the cargo she was hauling, which seems like truck-driving 101 stuff to us.
First she lost the top of the truck thanks to the bridge's low rafters. Undeterred, she continued until the bridge then did what bridges do when they're overloaded to the extreme - it collapsed. Lambright and her 17-year-old cousin who was riding with her in the cab escaped with no injuries. She was cited for reckless operation of a tractor trailer and disregarding traffic signs. These tickets probably won't break her bank account, and Lambright will most likely be allowed by the state to keep her CDL. Her job with Louisville Logistics on the other hand, might collapse as quickly as an overladen bridge
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