Truck Drivers Blame Each Other After Canal Bridge Collision

No one was cited following an accident involving two tractor-trailers on a narrow canal bridge in Bridgeton Township, Bucks County, because there wasn’t enough evidence available to indicate who was at fault, Pennsylvania State Police at Dublin said Saturday.

Police said the accident happened on River Road (Rt. 32) near Trails End Lane around 12:30 p.m. May 10, when a southbound truck and a northbound truck approached and entered the bridge at approximately the same time. That point along the narrow, winding road is just north of Upper Black Eddy and the bridge across the Delaware River to Milford, N.J.

“Both units were large tractor-trailers and attempted to pass each other across (the) small canal bridge,” the police accident report said, noting that the southbound tractor-trailer was impacted on the left front of its cab and the middle left of its trailer, while the northbound truck was impacted on the rear left side of its trailer.

Police said there were no injuries as a result of the collision, damage to the tractor-trailers was relatively minor–consisting primarily of scratches and scuff marks–and both vehicles were driven from the scene.

In interviews with the drivers about 45 minutes after the incident took place, police said both claimed that the other vehicle’s driver came into their lane and caused the collision.

“The canal bridge at this location is extremely narrow and neither vehicle would be able to negotiate without having to cross the double solid yellow line into the oncoming lane of travel,” the news release noted.

Recent Google Maps images of the curved approaches to the bridge show that it apparently isn’t signed with regard to its dimensions or any other characteristics that could potentially make it difficult for a large vehicle to navigate.

Because both tractor-trailers were moved before the state police investigator arrived at the scene, police said it was thus impossible to determine primary fault for the collision.

Both drivers were issued warnings under the state vehicle code section, “Roadways Laned for Traffic,” police said.