Load Shift Accidents in Trucks Pose Serious Dangers

Thousands of trucks move millions of pounds of goods across the country each day. While this cargo is necessary, it can also be dangerous or deadly, if not secured properly. Unsecured cargo can fall off trucks or suddenly shift, causing the truck to rollover or jackknife. When loading their vehicle, drivers must take care and use industry-standard precautions to ensure their load stays in place.

The rules of securing cargo

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets specific standards for securing cargo in commercial vehicles. To reduce the number of accidents caused by load shifts, the FMCSA tightened up their regulations in 2004. The general rule of thumb is that cargo should not move at all during a trip. All goods must be secured with sufficient tie downs and shoring bars. Cargo needs to be immobilized by dunnage or dunnage bags, which are materials used to fill the space between cargo. Certain large items, such as concrete beams, must be secured by special materials.

There are different rules for commodities that lack structure or shape, such as liquids, gas, or grains. Obviously, these products cannot be “tied down,” yet drivers still need to adhere to industry standards to prevent these goods from falling out of a truck or leaking.

Trucks must also not be overloaded (meaning too heavy). They need to be weighed before they leave, and weighed again 25 miles into a trip. Then, every time drivers stop, they need to inspect their load for any possible shifting.

There are more exceptions to these rules; a qualified truck accident attorney can help investigate an accident and determine which FMCSA regulations were broken.

The risks of improperly loaded trucks

An overloaded or poorly loaded truck can become off balance. If the weight of the cargo shifts to one side of the truck, the truck may roll over to one side. This is not only dangerous to the driver but also to other cars on the road. Those vehicles could be crushed, causing severe injuries to drivers and passengers.

Jackknifing is another risk. This type of truck accident occurs when a tractor-trailer skids, and the trailer portion swings into a 90-degree angle. A trailer is not fixed to the rig, so any movements in its cargo or unbalanced loads can cause the trailer to move out of control.

Additionally, improperly secured trucks can leave debris on the road, and drivers may collide with the debris. A piece of heavy cargo can fall from a truck and into the windshield of the car behind it. In each of these scenarios, the resulting injuries can be fatal.

At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, our Memphis truck accident attorneys do not take serious injuries lightly. We pull all of our resources to thoroughly investigate and build a solid case against the defendant. To arrange a free initial consultation, call 901-680-9777 or fill out a contact form today. Our firm represents injury clients in Memphis, Jackson, and across Western Tennessee.