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Stretch of I-495 in Montgomery County seeing rash of tractor trailer crashes

Maryland State Police have warned truckers to drive more carefully and not let the lack of other drivers on the road lull them into a false sense of security.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Police have responded to at least a half dozen tractor trailer crashes on the I-495 beltway in the last week, prompting them to urge truck drivers to exercise more caution.

Last Friday, April 24, Maryland State Police announced they were upping their presence on the Capitol Beltway in Montgomery County following at least two tractor trailer crashes within 12 hours.

The first incident occurred on the outer loop of I-495 near Bradley Boulevard. Police said they believe the tractor trailer left the highway and struck a concrete barrier, causing it to jackknife and travel back across all lanes of traffic. The truck then struck a wall, causing debris to fall into two lanes of I-270 below.

The driver, a Georgia man, was not injured in the crash.

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The second of the April 24 crashes involved two semis and occurred near the southbound I-270 merge. Police say they believe one truck – driven by a New Jersey man – failed to negotiate a curve, causing it to jackknife in front of a second tractor trailer. The first semi traveled across all lanes of the outer loop before striking a guardrail and coming to rest – at which point it then caught fire. The second tractor trailer was unable to avoid the truck, and slammed into it.

Neither driver was injured in that crash.

On Thursday, Maryland State Police investigated five crashes involving tractor trailer that shut down the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County for hours. Police said preliminary investigation revealed all three were caused by speeds that were too great for the driving conditions.

The first crash occurred on the inner loop of I-495 near Route 355. The second and third crashes happened within minutes of each other Thursday afternoon on the I-495 outer loop at Bradley and Connecticut avenues. Only one possible injury was reported from all three crashes.

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