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A driver hauling an excavator struck more than a dozen overpasses along 60 miles of the New York State Thruway. The driver did not stop or report it, only realizing the damage when troopers flagged hi
Space Daily • • science
Key Points:
- On March 18, 2026, a tractor-trailer hauling an over-height excavator struck more than a dozen overpasses over a 60-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway, causing significant damage before being stopped by police.
- The driver, Oleksander Tarakanovskyi, was reportedly unaware of the collisions and was charged with reckless endangerment and issued over 20 traffic violations related to commercial vehicle safety regulations.
- Bridge strikes are a common and repetitive problem largely due to drivers failing to measure vehicle height or plan routes that account for low bridges, with studies showing many drivers neglect these precautions.
- In New York, vehicles exceeding 13 feet 7 inches require special permits and route planning to prevent such incidents, but enforcement and adherence to these safeguards remain inconsistent, contributing to ongoing bridge strikes.
- Despite being a solvable issue through proper vehicle height checks, route planning, permits, and detection systems, bridge strikes continue due to failures in consistently applying these preventive measures across large road networks.
