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Elements of rollover trucking accidents

On Behalf of | Jan 15, 2015 | Truck Accidents

Residents in New Orleans have possible driven by a truck accident site at some point in their life. These massive vehicles can not only possibly cause a major accident, but could also lead to serious and even fatal injuries. A negligent truck driver can somtimes be the cause of a rollover truck crash, which is why it is important that trucking companies and truck drivers are aware of safety measures and accident prevention training.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, roughly 78 percent of rollover truck crashes involve truck driver error. Because of the high rate of truck drivers being at fault or liable, specific training information has been devised to understand how and why they occur and ways to reduce rollover crashes.

There are four major approaches that can help reduce truck rollovers. First, the design and performance of the truck could be modified to make it more difficult for a truck to turn over. Second, trucking companies and truck drivers should be knowledgeable about loading effects. How a truck is loaded could impact how a truck maneuvers on the road. If the truck is carrying an unbalanced or overweight load it could be more prone to rollovers.

Third, highway factors could paly a role in a rollover crash, such as traffic, weather and road conditions. Lastly, driver factors could cause a crash, such as fatigue or distractions.

Because truck drivers are 10 times more likely to be the cause of a rollover crash than any other factors, it is important that drivers understand how to prevent and deal with situations that could lead to a rollover crash. This includes avoiding sudden movements of the truck, controlling loads in turns and on straight roadways, being able to identify high risk road areas, remaining alert and attentive while a truck driver is behind the wheel, controlling the speed of the truck and maintaining a proper speed cushion with other vehicles on the roadway.

While there are means to reduce rollover crashes, a negligent truck driver could still be the cause of a serious incident. If a driver is found to have violated any of these safety steps, a suit could possibly be strengthened in an accident case. An accident victim could assign liability to a truck driver or trucking company through investigation, which could lead to a personal injury suit to recover compensation for the injuries and damages they suffered in the truck accident.

Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Cargo Tank Truck Rollover Prevention,” Dec. 17, 2014

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